Unit 3a

SYLLOGISMS AND
VALIDITY
 19 Arguments

Argument- a set of statements on of which appears to be

implied or supported by the others
2 Parts
 Premise
 Conclusion- the statement which appears to be implied by the other
statements in the arguments (premises)
An argument can contain more than one premise but
only one conclusion
The conlcusion is usually introduced with….thus,
therefore, so , or consequently….
A premise is usually introduced with…since, because, for,
given that
 19 Arguments

If a statement is followed by a word that indicates a

premise, the statement will likely be the conclusion.
Ex) This statement you are now reading must be the
conclusion, because it is followed by the word
“because”.
Ex) All Mr. S’s Logic students passed the test and
Guy is in Mr. S’s Logic class. We must therefore
conclude that Guy passed his test.
How many premises? What is the conclusion?
 19 Arguments

Bad argument
Ex) All Mr. S’s Logic students passed the test and
Billy is not in Mr. S’s Logic class. We must therefore
conclude that Billy did not pass his test.
Be careful…true statements can also be bad
arguments.
Ex) Some musicians are brilliant. Brittney Spears is
not a muscian. Therefore Brittney Spears is not
brilliant.
 20 The Syllogism

Categorical syllogism- deductive argument consisting of

three statements in categorical form that together use
only three terms called the major, minor and middle.
Ex) All red plants are living things
 All roses are red plants
 Therefore all roses are living things
Or
All M are P
All S are M
T All S are P
Note: Three terms
 20 The Syllogism

All M are P
All S are M
T All S are P
Note: Three terms
 S- Minor Term – Subject of the conclusion
 P- Major Term- Predicate of the conclusion
 M- Middle term- Term in both premises but not in the conclusion
Ex) All red plants are living things
 All roses are red plants
 Therefore all roses are living things
What is minor? Major? Middle?
 20 The Syllogism

Major Premise – Contains the Major term

 Traditionally the first premise

Minor Premise- Contains the Minor term

 Traditionally the second premise

Ex) All red plants are living things

 All roses are red plants
 Therefore all roses are living things
Major premise? Minor Premise? Middle premise?
Conclusion?
Is the argument true? Are the premises true?
 20 The Syllogism

All ringed planets are gas giants, so no inner planets

are ringed planets, since no inner planets are gas
giants.
1. Find the conclusion (look for key words)
2. Find the major term (P of conclusion)
3. Find the major premise (contains major term)
4. Find the minor premise (contains minor term)
5. Write the syllogism in standard order
1. All ringed planets are gas giants,
2. No inner planets are gas giants.
3. No inner planets are ringed planets
 21 The Mood of Syllogisms

Lets use like symbols

 S is minor
 P is major
 M is middle

Some black cars are fast cars

All Fiat Punto’s are black cars
Therefore, som Fiat Punto’s are fast cars
Valid or invalid?
 Some M are P
 All S are M
 T, Some S are P
 21 The Mood of Syllogisms

Schema- representation of a syllogism having

statments in standard order with standard
abbreviations
Mood- a three letter description of the types of
categorical statements it contains when arranged in
standard order
 Some M are P (I)
 All S are M (A)
 T, Some S are P (I)
Mood is IAI
 22 The Figure of Syllogisms

Figure- a number form one to 4 identifying the

placement of its middle term
Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4
Major M is P P is M M is P P is M
premise
Minor S is M S is M M is S M is S
premise

No students are happy students

Some boys are students
Therfore some boys are not happy students
 22 The Figure of Syllogisms

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

Major M is P P is M M is P P is M
premise
Minor S is M S is M M is S M is S
premise
 No students are happy students
 Some boys are students
 Therfore some boys are not happy students
 Schematize:
 No M is P
 Some S is M
 Some S is not P
 Mood- EIO
 Form- EIO-I
 22 The Figure of Syllogisms

Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

EIO- II EIO- III EIO- IV

No P is M No M is P No P is M
Some S is M Some M is S Some M is S
T, Some S is not P T, Some S is not P T, Some S is not P
 23 Truth and Validity

Valid- if and only if the conclusion is necessarily true

given that the premises are true
Invalid- if the premises can be true and the
conclusion false
 All dogs are brown animals
 All poodles are dogs
 Therefore, all poodles are brown animals
Is it a valid argument? Is it true?
 23 Truth and Validity

 All dogs are mammals

 All dogs are canines
 Therefore, all canines are mammals.
Is it a valid argument? Is it true?
Sound- a syllogism with a valid argument that has
true premises.
 All dogs are mammals

 All poodles are dogs

 Therefore, all poodles are mammals.

 23 Truth and Validity

Argument

Valid Invalid

Sound Unsound