sorites

American  

[saw-rahy-teez, soh-] / sɔˈraɪ tiz, soʊ- /

noun

Logic.

1. a form of argument having several premises and one conclusion, capable of being resolved into a chain of syllogisms, the conclusion of each of which is a premise of the next.

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sorites British  

/ sɒˈraɪtiːz, sɒˈrɪtɪkəl /

noun

1. logic

   1. a polysyllogism in which the premises are arranged so that intermediate conclusions are omitted, being understood, and only the final conclusion is stated

   2. a paradox of the form

      these few grains of sand do not constitute a heap, and the addition of a single grain never makes what is not yet a heap into a heap: so no matter how many single grains one adds it never becomes a heap

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Other Word Forms

• soritic adjective
• soritical adjective

Etymology

Origin of sorites

1545–55; < Latin sōrītēs < Greek sōreítēs literally, heaped, piled up, derivative of sōrós a heap

Example Sentences

Stop, reader; you have not the whole of this sorites.

From Apology of the Augsburg Confession by Melanchthon, Philipp

Here is a concrete example of the two kinds of sorites, resolved each into its component syllogisms— Progressive Sorites.

From Deductive Logic by Stock, St. George William Joseph

In the irregular sorites the syllogisms may fall into different figures.

From Deductive Logic by Stock, St. George William Joseph

A sorites may be either Regular or Irregular.

From Deductive Logic by Stock, St. George William Joseph

When expanded, the sorites is found to contain as many syllogisms as there are propositions intermediate between the first and the last.

From Deductive Logic by Stock, St. George William Joseph