Syllogism

4 definitions found

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

  Syllogism \Syl"lo*gism\, n. [OE. silogisme, OF. silogime,
     sillogisme, F. syllogisme, L. syllogismus, Gr. syllogismo`s a
     reckoning all together, a reasoning, syllogism, fr.
     syllogi`zesqai to reckon all together, to bring at once
     before the mind, to infer, conclude; sy`n with, together +
     logi`zesqai to reckon, to conclude by reasoning. See {Syn-},


     and {Logistic}, {Logic}.] (Logic)
     The regular logical form of every argument, consisting of
     three propositions, of which the first two are called the
     premises, and the last, the conclusion. The conclusion
     necessarily follows from the premises; so that, if these are
     true, the conclusion must be true, and the argument amounts
     to demonstration;
  
     Note: as in the following example:
           [1913 Webster] Every virtue is laudable; Kindness is a
           virtue; Therefore kindness is laudable.
           [1913 Webster] These propositions are denominated
           respectively the major premise, the minor premise, and
           the conclusion.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: If the premises are not true and the syllogism is
           regular, the reasoning is valid, and the conclusion,
           whether true or false, is correctly derived.
           [1913 Webster] Syllogistic

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  syllogism
       n : deductive reasoning in which a conclusion is derived from
           two premises

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  32 Moby Thesaurus words for "syllogism":
     Aristotelian sorites, Baconian method, Goclenian sorites,
     a fortiori reasoning, a posteriori reasoning, a priori reasoning,
     analysis, categorical syllogism, deduction, deductive reasoning,
     dilemma, enthymeme, epagoge, figure, generalization,
     hypothesis and verification, induction, inductive reasoning,
     inference, mode, modus tollens, mood, paralogism,
     particularization, philosophical induction, prosyllogism,
     pseudosyllogism, rule, rule of deduction, sorites,
     syllogistic reasoning, synthesis
  
  

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  SYLLOGISM, n.  A logical formula consisting of a major and a minor
  assumption and an inconsequent.  (See LOGIC.)