CONDITIONAL

SYLLOGISMS
CONDITIONAL SYLLOGISM
DEFINED
• It is a syllogism in which the major premise is a CONDITIONAL STATEMENT - a
compound statement which assert that one member, the then clause is true on condition
that the other member, the if clause is true.
• Example:
• If it rains, then the ground will be wet.

• The “if clause” – the antecedent. The “then clause” – the consequent.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE

• If the Philippines is in Asia, then Melchora Aquino is a Filipina.

• The Philippines is indeed in Asia and Melchora Aquino is a Filipina; but the fact that Melchora
Aquino is a Filipina is not a CONSEQUENT of the Philippines being in Asia.

On the other hand,

• If Melchora Aquino is not an Asian, then she is not a Filipino.

• This is a true statement although the clauses, taken singly, are false. The statement is true
because being an Asian is essential to being Filipino.
CONDITIONAL STATEMENTS
CAN BE EXPRESSED NOT ONLY IN IF-
THEN CLAUSES BUT ALSO IN A WIDE
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SENTENCES.
EXAMPLES

Being a teenager these days means

that you have to face a tremendous
amount of peer pressure.
EXAMPLES

The fact that she is a native of Bohol

implies that she knows where the
chocolate hills are.
EXAMPLES

Anyone who cheers for Ginebra must

be a Mark Caguioa fan.
EXAMPLES

Unless you are born again by water

and spirit, you will not enter the
Kingdom of Heaven.
EXAMPLES

Whenever heavy rains pour in

Sampaloc, España Avenue is flooded.
EXAMPLES

In case one of the grantees changes

his/her mind, you will get the
scholarship.
IF WE WRITE THESE STATEMENTS
IN THE IF-THEN FORMS, WE CAN
SEE THAT THEIR MEANING
REMAINS THE SAME.
EXAMPLES

If you are a teenager these days, then

you must face a tremendous amount
of peer pressure.
EXAMPLES

If she is a native of Bohol, then she

knows where the chocolate hills are.
EXAMPLES

If he cheers for Ginebra, then he

must be a Mark Caguioa fan.
EXAMPLES

If you are born again by water and

spirit, then you cannot enter the
Kingdom of Heaven.
EXAMPLES

If heavy rains pour in Sampaloc, then

España Avenue is flooded.
EXAMPLES

If one of the grantees changes his/her

mind, then you will get the
scholarship.
THE CONDITIONAL SYLLOGISM
CAN BE SYMBOLIZED BY THE
FOLLOWING:
A - Antecedent
C - Consequent
~ - Negation of the statement
> - “implies”
– - “therefore”
RULES FOR CONDITIONAL
SYLLOGISMS
• There are two valid forms of conditional syllogisms.
1. When the minor premise affirms the antecedent,
2. The conclusion must affirm the consequent.

This is called MODUS PONENS.

EXAMPLES

If it rains, then the ground will be wet. A>C

It rained. A
Therefore, the ground it wet. C
RULES FOR CONDITIONAL
SYLLOGISMS
• There are two valid forms of conditional syllogisms.
1. When the minor premise denies the consequent,
2. The conclusion must deny the antecedent.

This is called MODUS TOLLENS.

EXAMPLES

If it rains, then the ground will be wet. A>C

The ground is not wet. ~C
Therefore, it did not rain. ~A
RULES FOR CONDITIONAL
SYLLOGISMS
• A conditional syllogism is invalid if the minor premise denies
the antecedent.

This is called the fallacy of denying the antecedent.

EXAMPLES

If it rains, then the ground will be wet. A>C

It did not rain. ~A
Therefore, the ground is not wet. ~C
RULES FOR CONDITIONAL
SYLLOGISMS
• A conditional syllogism is invalid if the minor premise affirms
the consequent.

This is called the fallacy of affirming the consequent.

EXAMPLES

If it rains, then the ground will be wet. A>C

The ground is wet. C
Therefore, it rained. A
LET US TRY.

If he fired the gun, then he should have

gunpowder residue on his clothing or skin.
VALID
According to the medico-legal examination,
there was no trace of gunpowder residue on
OR
any part of his body and clothing.
Therefore, he did not fire the gun.
INVALID
LET US TRY.

If he fired the gun, then he should have

gunpowder residue on his clothing or skin.
According to the medico-legal examination,
there was no trace of gunpowder residue on
VALID
any part of his body and clothing.
Therefore, he did not fire the gun.
LET US TRY.

If you are eligible to vote, then you VALID

must be 18 years old and above.
My cousins is above 18 years of age. OR
Therefore, my cousin is eligible to INVALID
vote.
LET US TRY.

If you are eligible to vote, then you

must be 18 years old and above.
My cousins is above 18 years of age. INVALID
Therefore, my cousin is eligible to
vote.
LET US TRY.

If the defendant has no knowledge that

his statement is untrue, he cannot be
VALID
guilty of fraud.
OR
The defendant knows that his statement
is untrue. INVALID
Therefore, he is guilty of fraud.
LET US TRY.

If the defendant has no knowledge that

his statement is untrue, he cannot be
guilty of fraud.
INVALID
The defendant knows that his statement
is untrue.
Therefore, he is guilty of fraud.
LET US TRY.

If he was in the United States when the crime

happened, then he cannot commit the crime.
VALID
It was proven that he was in the United
States at that time.
OR
Therefore, he cannot have committed the
crime.
INVALID
LET US TRY.

If he was in the United States when the crime

happened, then he cannot commit the crime.
It was proven that he was in the United
States at that time.
VALID
Therefore, he cannot have committed the
crime.
ENTHYMEMES

• Has an argument’s basic structure… may be obscured by an

excess of verbiage – too sparse and has missing components
• Such arguments may appear sounder than they are because we
are unaware of important assumptions made by them
ROE VS. WADE OPINION

This right of privacy whether it be founded in the

Fourteenth Amendment’s concept of personal liberty and
restrictions upon state action, as we feel it is, or, as the
District Court determined, in the Ninth Amendment’s
reservation of rights to the people, is broad enough to
encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate
her pregnancy.
JUSTICE BLACKMAN’S ARGUMENT - SYLLOGISM

This right of privacy is guaranteed by the Fourteenth or Ninth

Amendment.
A woman’s decision whether to terminate her pregnancy is protected
by the right of privacy.
Therefore, a woman’s decision whether to terminate her pregnancy is
protected by the Fourteenth or Ninth Amendment.
POLYSYLLOGISMS

This right of privacy whether it be founded in the

Fourteenth Amendment’s concept of personal liberty and
restrictions upon state action, as we feel it is, or, as the
District Court determined, in the Ninth Amendment’s
reservation of rights to the people, is broad enough to
encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate
her pregnancy.
LET’S US CONSIDER…

Anything that contains information available for inspection by the

public is a public document.
PDS contains information available for inspection by the public.
Therefore, PDS is a public document.
LET’S US CONSIDER…

Vargas falsified her PDS.

PDS is a public document.
Therefore,Vargas falsified a public document.
LET’S US CONSIDER…

Falsifying a public document is a criminal offense.

Vargas falsified a public document.
Therefore,Vargas committed a criminal offense.
LET’S US CONSIDER…

Anyone proven to commit a criminal offense should be dismissed

from government service.
Vargas committed a criminal offense.
Therefore,Vargas ought to be dism