The Probert Encyclopaedia of General Information

SYLLOGISM

A syllogism is a typical form of deductive reasoning in which, certain propositions having been laid down, something different may be deduced from them. For example, given that 'all men are mortal' and that 'Socrates is a man' it may be deduced that 'Socrates is mortal'. Every syllogism contains two premises and a conclusion: the major term is the predicate, the minor the subject , of the conclusion. There are four modes: A (universal affirmative: all men are mortal); E (universal negative: no men are immortal); I (particular affirmative: some men are clever); O (particular negative: some men are not clever). There are also four kinds of figures, depending upon the relation of the middle term to the major and minor.
Research Syllogism