TRUTH: THE ESSENCE OF FORMAL

VALIDITY

Formal Validity – may be a mere logical term for

other but its essence is related to the truth. The
formal validity of the inference is measured
through the natural sequence of the antecedent
and the conclusion. If the antecedent is true
then the conclusion is also true.
For example of formally valid:
Every factory worker is a laborer.
Some factory workers are women.
Ergo, some women are laborers.

Here, both the premises are true and from the

truthfulness comes the truthfulness of the
consequent.
Formally invalid – If the consequent does not
naturally flow from the antecedent.

For example:
Every Filipino is a thinking being.
Some Filipinos are not doctors.
Ergo, some doctors are not thinking beings.
 Principles of Inference
What is a principle?
The word principle always connotes
something that already existed and
from it something else will either come
to exist or will be known.
Three major pairs of principles:
1.Principle of Identity and the Principle of
Contradiction
2.Principle of Identifying the Third and the
Principle of Separating the Third
3.Principle of Dictum de Omni and the
Principle of Dictum de Nullo
 Principle of Identity
It is a principle which claims that if any argument is true
then it is really true. This principle is best described through
the statement “ Whatever is, is “ or through the statement “
Everything is what is “. Let us consider the examples:
1. Every horse is an animal.
Ergo, some animals are horses.
2. Every flower is fragrant.
A rose is a flower.
Ergo, a rose is fragrant.

Both the inferences are true in so far as they are true in

themselves independent of our thoughts.
 Principle of Contradiction
It states that a thing cannot be and not be at the same
time or in the same respect.
1. You are a man.
Ergo, you are a woman.
2. You cannot be at two places at the same time.

What the principle of contradiction speaks is all about the

opportunity of two premises which are in contradictory
with each other to be true or false at the same time. In
logical inference, if a certain premise is true then it cannot
be false at the same time or in the same respect.
“ A thing cannot both have and not have the same
attribute.
 Principles of Identifying the Third
It is a principle whose basic premise is “ Two things that are
identical with the same third thing are identical with each other”. If
two concepts are identical with the third, it follows that there is
valid sequence among the premises and that the truthfulness of
the two premises determines the truthfulness of the conclusion.
For example,
1. Every plant is a living thing.
Every orchid is a plant.
Ergo, every orchid is a living thing.
2. Every vehicle is a form of transportation.
Every car is a vehicle.
Ergo, every car is a form of transportation.

Notice that the concepts presented in these two examples are so

connected among themselves that they manifest in the mind a
unity or oneness.
 Principle of Separating the Third
It is a principle whose basic premise is “ Two things of
which the one is identical with the same third thing and the
other is not are not really identical with one another. “ Giving
the impression that one is not identical with the third concept.
For example:
No rapist is morally good.
Every rapist is a criminal.
Ergo, no criminal is morally good.

The minor term “criminal” is identical with the third concept

(rapist). But the major term “morally good” is not identical
with the third (rapist). The thought of having no connection
among the three concepts, establishes the fact that is
manifesting the principle of separating the third.
 The Dictum de Omni ( The Law of All)
It is a principle which is applicable to any affirmative
syllogism. Its basic premise is formulated as “ What is
predicated of a logical whole maybe predicated
distributively of each of its inferiors. “
For example :
Every doctor is a medical expert.
Every pediatrician is a doctor.
Ergo, every pediatrician is a medical expert.

What is true of every doctor is also true of every

pediatrician and since every doctor is a medical expert it
follows that such is also true that every pediatrician is a
medical expert.
 Dictum de Nullo ( Law of None)
It is a principle of which the basic premise is “ What is
denied of a logical whole may also be denied
distributively of each inferiors. This principle is
manifested in a negative syllogism.
For example:
No genius is dumb.
Every philosopher is a genius.
Ergo, no philosopher is dumb.

The concept “dumb” is denied of the character of a

genius. If this is so then the concept “philosopher” must
also be denied of the character of a dumb. Since
“philosopher” connotes an intelligent man.