syllogism
SIL-uh-jiz-um
/ˈsɪl.ə.dʒɪz.əm/
A three-part deductive argument consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.
A classical syllogism relies entirely on structural containment (e.g., All A are B; C is A; therefore C is B).
The story behind the word. Coined from Greek 'syllogismos', combining 'syn-' (together) and 'logizomai' (to reason). Aristotle popularized the term to describe how two premises are bound together to compute a necessary third outcome.
Word relationships
- deductive argument: Deductive argument is a broad umbrella term, whereas a syllogism is a specific three-part form.
Commonly confused with
- enthymeme: An enthymeme is a syllogism in which one premise is kept unstated or implied.
Word family
- syllogistic (adjective): Pertaining to or expressed as a syllogism.
Collocations
- categorical syllogism
- flawed syllogism
- construct a syllogism
Idioms & expressions
- logical syllogism
Example sentences
- "The classic syllogism 'All men are mortal; Socrates is a man; therefore Socrates is mortal' remains the standard classroom example." Classical Logic
- "His entire treatise is constructed like a monumental syllogism, where each chapter acts as a necessary step toward an undeniable conclusion." Literary Essay
Memory hook
SYL-logism = SYNCING two premises together to reach a conclusion. Two premises synced into one conclusion.
When not to use
Do not use 'syllogism' to describe any general debate or rambling line of thought; it refers strictly to this formal three-step logic structure.
Fun facts
- Aristotle identified 256 possible syllogistic structures, but only 24 are logically valid!
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