Syllogism

Syllogism is a kind of logical argument in which a particular conclusion is incidental from two or more others of a certain form.

In the distance past, there were two rival theories of the syllogism. The theories are Aristotelian syllogistic and Stoic syllogistic. Aristotle says that syllogism is a discourse in which, certain things having been supposed, something different from the things supposed results of necessity because these things are so.
Syllogism consist two reasoning, which is deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning :-

• Deductive reasoning is where facts are determined by combining existing statements.
• Inductive reasoning is where facts are determined by repeated observations.

A categorical syllogism have three parts, that is the major premise, the minor premise, and the conclusion. For example :-

All cats have nine lives.

Mr. Kiko is a cat.

There for Mr. Kiko has nine lives.

All three of the terms represent a category. The example above stated cat, Mr. Kiko, and nine lives. The major term would be; "nine lives", and the minor term is "Mr. Kiko". The premises also consist a common term, known as the middle term. From the example given, "cat" would be the middle term.

Here are some other example of syllogism :-

All humans are mortal.

Cynthia is a human.

Cynthia is a mortal.

All teachers are clever.

Amir is a teacher.

Amir is clever.

All fish lives in the water.

Sharks live in the water.

Sharks are fish.

All candies are sweet.

All lollipops are sweet.

All lollipops are candies.

Vitamin C is good for humans.

All oranges consist vitamin C.

All oranges are good for humans.

To identify a syllogisms validity, one must determine the allocation of each term in each statement. In a simple syllogistic patterns, some fallacies of invalid patterns are :-

1. Undistributed middle. (The terms in the premise does not support each other)
2. Exclusive premises. (The major and minor terms did not create a bond or has no link)
3. Affirmative conclusion from a negative premise. (If both of the premise are negative, then the conclusion also should be negative)
4. Negative conclusion from affirmative premises. (The conclusion should be affirmative if both of the premises are affirmative)