Forming a Categorical Syllogism

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, students are expected to:
Form a valid conclusion from premises.
Apply into an argument the laws of categorical syllogism.
Categorical Syllogism
The Merriam Webster Dictionary (199! de"nes syllogism as a logical
scheme of a formal argument consisting of a ma#or premise and a
minor premise and a conclusion which must $e logically true if the
premises are true.
The preceding dictionary de"nition has already covered all necessary
elements of a syllogism.
%n a similar vein, categorical syllogism is an argument that has three
categorical propositions.
The "rst two are the premises, the third is the conclusion.
%t has three categorical terms namely: the ma#or, minor and middle
terms.
Furthermore, the two premises are considered the antecedent or the
cause, and the conclusion, the consequent or result.
&xample:
All '(' students are hard)wor*ing. ) +A,-. '.&+%/& (+'!
0ut, 'edro is a '(' student. ) +%1-. '.&+%/& (mp!
Therefore, 'edro is hard)wor*ing. ) 2-12(3/%-1 (2!
4hereas5
a. Major term 6 predicate of the conclusion, and su$#ect or predicate of
the "rst or second premise. ( !
$. Minor term 6 su$#ect of the conclusion, and su$#ect or predicate of the
"rst or second premise. ( !
c. Middle term 6 su$#ect or predicate in each of the premises, and
connects these two premises together. (7777777 !
&xample:
All -F4s are su8ering from homesic*ness.
,uan is an -F4.
&rgo, ,uan is su8ering from homesic*ness.
2ategorical /yllogism 'age 9:
RULES AND FALLACIES OF CAE!ORICAL S"LLO!ISM
The proposition in a series that forms a syllogism may contain
erroneous conclusion emanating from the wrong premises. The errors are not
immediately perceived at "rst glance $ecause they appear perfect and
accurate. There are rules to $e followed and violation of them may render
the syllogism invalid.
R#le $ % Avoid &o#r terms
2ategorical syllogism must have three terms 6 ma#or, minor and middle
terms. ;iolation of this rule is called the fallacy of four terms.
Example:
All Filipinos are Asians.
All 2e$uanos are ;isayans.
Therefore, all 2e$uanos are Asians.
R#le '% Distrib#te t(e middle term in at least one )remise%
The middle term must $e universal, and distri$uted once in the premises.
;iolation of the rule is called the fallacy of undistributed middle term.
Example:
All students are wor*ers.
/ome wor*ers are exploited.
&rgo, some students are exploited.
R#le *% Any term distrib#ted in t(e concl#sion m#st be distrib#ted in
t(e )remises%
The ma#or and minor terms could not $e distri$uted in the conclusion $ut not
in the premises. ;iolation of this rule is called illicit process.
%llicit process of the ma#or term (an illicit major!.
%llicit process of the minor term (an illicit minor!.
Analy<e the example for illicit process of the ma#or.

All =owers are fragrant.
Trees are not =owers.
Therefore, no trees are fragrant.
The term >fragrant? in the ma#or premise is undistri$uted $ecause it is
a predicate of an a@rmative proposition that $ecomes distri$uted in the
conclusion since it is a predicate of a negative proposition. This leads us to
commit the fallacy of the illicit ma#or, a violation of the rule which says that
the conclusion cannot $e raised to universal if it is only particular in the
premise.
Analy<e the next example for the illicit process of the minor.
2ategorical /yllogism 'age 91
All men are philosophers.
0ut, all philosophers are logicians.
/o, all logicians are men.
The term >logicians? in the minor premise is undistri$uted $ecause it is
a predicate of an a@rmative proposition. %n the conclusion, >logicians? is
distri$uted.
R#le +% Avoid t,o negative )remises%
There can $e no valid conclusion drawn from $oth negative premises.
;iolation of the rule is called the fallacy of exclusive premises.
Example:
1o Americans are .ussians.
1o .ussians are Filipinos.
2onseAuently, no Americans are Filipinos.
R#le -% I& eit(er )remise is negative. t(e concl#sion m#st be
negative%
%f an a@rmative conclusion reAuires two a@rmative premises. 4e can *now
with certainty that if either of the premises is negative the conclusion must
also $e negative, or the argument is not valid. The mista*e here is called the
fallacy of drawing an afrmative conclusion from a negative
premise.
Example:
1o poets are accountants5
/ome artists are poets5
Thus, some artists are accountants.
R#le /% From t,o #niversal )remises no )artic#lar concl#sions may
be dra,n%
There can $e no valid conclusion drawn from two universal premises no
particular conclusions. The mista*e is called the e0istential &allacy%
Example:
All household pets are domestic animals5
1o unicorns are domestic animals5
Thus, some unicorns are not household pets.
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2ategorical /yllogism 'age 9B
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ASSI!NMEN NO% /
Analy<e the following syllogisms and determine the Major erm. Major
4remise 5 MP. Minor erm. Minor 4remise 6 mp. Middle erm.
Concl#sion 6 C. Cecide whether the following syllogisms are valid or invalid.
%f valid write 7ALID 5 NO FALLAC" COMMIED if it is invalid write
IN7ALID 6 4RO7IDE 8E FALLAC" COMMIED% (9: 'oints!
E0am)le1
(ight guides you in the dar* ) MP
Feathers are light ) mp
&rgo, feathers guide you in the dar*. ) C
IN7ALID 6 FALLAC" OF E9UI7OCAION
1. 1o scientist is an astronaut5 )
0ut, Alex is not an astronaut5 )
Therefore, Alex is not a scientist. )
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B. Few politicians are not poor5 )
&ach corrupt individual is poor5 )
&rgo, few politicians are corrupt individuals. )
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D. The li$eral)minded is educated5 )
0ut li$eral)minded is easy to govern5 )
Thus, some educated are easy to govern. )
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9. &ach 2ara$ao is a four)legged mammal5 )
Few four)legged mammals donEt wallow5 )
/o, not all wallows are 2ara$aos. )
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F. A "gure has side5 )
0ut a sAuare is a "gure5 )
Therefore, sAuare has side. )
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2ategorical /yllogism 'age 9D