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Webster 1913 Edition
Syllogism
Syl′lo-gism
,Noun.
[OE.
silogisme
, OF. silogime
, sillogisme
, F. syllogisme
, L. syllogismus
, Gr. συλλογισμόσ
a reckoning all together, a reasoning, syllogism, fr. συλλογίζεσθαι
to reckon all together, to bring at once before the mind, to infer, conclude; σύν
with, together + λογίζεσθαι
to reckon, to conclude by reasoning. See Syn-
, and Logistic
, Logic
.] (Logic)
The regular logical form of every argument, consisting of three propositions, of which the first two are called the premises, and the last, the conclusion. The conclusion necessarily follows from the premises; so that, if these are true, the conclusion must be true, and the argument amounts to demonstration
; as in the following example:
Every virtue is laudable; Kindness is a virtue; Therefore kindness is laudable.These propositions are denominated respectively the major premise, the minor premise, and the conclusion .☞ If the premises are not true and the syllogism is regular, the reasoning is valid, and the conclusion, whether true or false, is correctly derived.
Webster 1828 Edition
Syllogism
SYL'LOGISM
,Noun.
A form or reasoning or argument, consisting of three propositions, of which the two first are called the premises, and the last the conclusion. In this argument, the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises; so that if the two first propositions are true, the conclusion must be true, and the argument amounts to demonstration. Thus,
A plant has not the power of locomotion;
An oak is a plant;
Therefore an oak has not the power of locomotion.
These propositions are denominated the major, the minor, and the conclusion.
Definition 2024
syllogism
syllogism
English
Noun
syllogism (plural syllogisms)
- (logic) an argument the conclusion of which is supported by two premises, of which one contains the term that is the predicate of the conclusion, and the other contains the term that is the subject of the conclusion; common to both premises is a term that is excluded from the conclusion.
- "All humans are mortal. You are a human. Therefore you will die" is a syllogism.
- (obsolete) A trick, artifice; an extremely subtle, sophisticated, or deceptive argument.
Quotations
- For usage examples of this term, see Citations:syllogism.
Meronyms
- (inference): major premise, minor premise
Related terms
Translations
inference from premises
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See also
Swedish
Noun
syllogism c
Declension
| Inflection of syllogism | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | |||
| Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
| Nominative | syllogism | syllogismen | syllogismer | syllogismerna |
| Genitive | syllogisms | syllogismens | syllogismers | syllogismernas |