The Syllogism

Syllogism
Syllogism is the verbal expression of a deductive reasoning or inference.

The Act of Reasoning

 It is inferential thinking.
 It is the mental process of drawing out a conclusion from a given data.
 In reasoning, the mind makes a conclusion which is consistent with certain assumed data.
 It is the mental process of comparing two concepts with a common third concept for the purpose of establishing
their agreement or disagreement with each other.

Inference
As defined by Irving M. Copi, inference is a process by which one proposition is arrived at and affirmed (or denied) on the
basis of one or more proposition accepted as the starting point of the process.
It is also the result of the act of reasoning in the same way that the concept is the product of simple apprehension and the
proposition that of judgment.
Example:
Every A is B,
But every X is A,
Therefore, every X is B.
The Syllogism : Its Form and Matter
Syllogism is “an oral or written discourse showing the agreement or disagreement between two terms on the basis of their
respective relation to a common third term”.
Syllogism is made up of three (3) proposition – two of which are called premises and the other is conclusion.
Premises- stand for the assumed truths (antecedent) and are said to support conclusion.
Conclusion (consequent) – is the new truth derived form premises.
Proposition are made up of three terms:
a. Minor term is the subject of the Conclusion, and it is symbolized by letter “S” (subject).
b. Major term is the predicate of the Conclusion and symbolized by letter “P” (predicate).
c. Middle tern is the term which appears in both premises but not in conclusion.
It serves as the “common third term” which determines the agreement or disagreement of the Minor and the Major
terms.
It is symbolized by letter “M” (medium of comparison).

Example:
Every Man is rational, (Major Premise)
(M)
But every Filipino is man, (Minor Premise)
(M)
Therefore, every Filipino is rational. (Conclusion)
(S) (P)
Note: The conjunctions “but” and “therefore” are symbols of the sequence. The sequence is the form of an inference or syllogism.
The Valid Syllogism
Valid syllogism is one which is simultaneously true and correct.
Syllogism is correct when it is in conformity with rules of logic.
Syllogism is true when the propositions employed are expressive of truths.
Note: Truth is the agreement of a statement with object reality.

If the syllogism is:

a. Correct as to form but false as to its content – “ formally correct” only to its form.
b. True to its content but incorrect to its form – “Materially true”

Example:
No man is sinless,
But every priest is man,
Therefore, No priest is sinless.