Sorites

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sorites \So*ri"tes\, n. [L., from Gr. swrei`ths (sc.
     syllogismo`s), properly, heaped up (hence, a heap of
     syllogisms), fr. swro`s a heap.] (Logic)
     An abridged form of stating of syllogisms in a series of
     propositions so arranged that the predicate of each one that
     precedes forms the subject of each one that follows, and the


     conclusion unites the subject of the first proposition with
     the predicate of the last proposition, as in following
     example; 
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           The soul is a thinking agent;
           A thinking agent can not be severed into parts;
           That which can not be severed can not be destroyed;
           Therefore the soul can not be destroyed.
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     Note: When the series is arranged in the reverse order, it is
           called the Goclenian sorites, from Goclenius, a
           philosopher of the sixteenth century.
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     {Destructive sorities}. See under {Destructive}.
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