syllogism
Logic. an argument the conclusion of which is supported by two premises, of which one (major premise ) contains the term (major term ) that is the predicate of the conclusion, and the other (minor premise ) contains the term (minor term ) that is the subject of the conclusion; common to both premises is a term (middle term ) that is excluded from the conclusion. A typical form is “All A is C; all B is A; therefore all B is C.”
deductive reasoning.
an extremely subtle, sophisticated, or deceptive argument.
Origin of syllogism
1Words Nearby syllogism
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use syllogism in a sentence
Of course, “No means Yes” is a novel logical syllogism, but anything is possible.
RFRA Madness: What’s Next for Anti-Democratic ‘Religious Exemptions’ | Jay Michaelson | November 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThis seems like an example of my favorite policy syllogism: 1.
The Quixotic Crusade Against the Keystone Pipeline | Megan McArdle | March 1, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTThere's a terrible syllogism that tends to follow on tragedies like this: 1.
There's Little We Can Do to Prevent Another Massacre | Megan McArdle | December 17, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTI thought I would be protected by historical precision, reputation, syllogism and sincerity.
It is rarely the case in literature that the syllogism is fully stated: generally one of the premises is omitted.
English: Composition and Literature | W. F. (William Franklin) Webster
If the major premise of this syllogism be granted, the conclusion is unquestionable.
English: Composition and Literature | W. F. (William Franklin) WebsterHowever, if this were put into a syllogism, it would read as follows: All persons who do wrong pay the penalty soon.
English: Composition and Literature | W. F. (William Franklin) WebsterWhatever can be proved at all can be reduced to a syllogism but agreement upon premises is in this case impossible.
The Inhumanity of Socialism | Edward F. AdamsBut Aquinas, with his Aristotelian method of syllogism and definitions, could not go beyond Augustine.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume VI | John Lord
British Dictionary definitions for syllogism
/ (ˈsɪləˌdʒɪzəm) /
a deductive inference consisting of two premises and a conclusion, all of which are categorial propositions. The subject of the conclusion is the minor term and its predicate the major term; the middle term occurs in both premises but not the conclusion. There are 256 such arguments but only 24 are valid. Some men are mortal; some men are angelic; so some mortals are angelic is invalid, while some temples are in ruins; all ruins are fascinating; so some temples are fascinating is valid. Here fascinating, in ruins, and temples are respectively major, middle, and minor terms
a deductive inference of certain other forms with two premises, such as the hypothetical syllogism, if P then Q; if Q then R; so if P then R
a piece of deductive reasoning from the general to the particular
a subtle or deceptive piece of reasoning
Origin of syllogism
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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