Varieties of Categorical Syllogism
VARIETIES OF CATEGORICAL SYLLOGISM
The previous chapter focused on the simple categorical syllogism. The present chapter deals with other varieties of categorical syllogism which in some arguments will prove useful in arriving at a conclusion. These varieties include the enthymeme, the epichereme, the polysyllogism, the sorites and the dilemma.
The Enthymeme
The enthymeme is an abbreviated or shortened type of categorical syllogism in that one of its premises or its conclusion is left unexpressed. Enthymemes are of three categories, distinguished on the basis of the missing [art of an argument.
1. Missing Major – enthymemes are of the missing major category when the major premise of an argument is not expressed. For example,
Africans are men,
Therefore, they are mortal beings.
2. Missing Minor – enthymemes belong to the missing minor category when the minor premise of an argument is omitted. For example,
Men are mortal beings,
Therefore, Africans are mortal beings.
3. Missing Conclusion – enthymemes whose conclusion is not expresses belong to the missing conclusion category. For example,
Men are mortal beings,
Therefore, Africans are men.
Enthymemes are categorical syllogism because of the presence of three syllogism terms. In the example for each category, above the syllogistic are men,” “Africans,” and “mortal beings.”
To check to which category an enthymeme belongs it will be helpful reconstruct in its full syllogistic form. Then, on the basis of the syllogistic term one can easily determine the category of an enthymeme. Using the example, above, its full syllogistic form is as follows:
Men are mortal beings, but Africans are men; therefore, they (Africans) are mortal beings.
The Epichereme
The epichireme is a type of categorical syllogism whose premise or premises are provided with proofs. The proof is often joined with the premise with a causal connective such as “for”, “because”, “since”, “due to”, and so on.
The previous chapter focused on the simple categorical syllogism. The present chapter deals with other varieties of categorical syllogism which in some arguments will prove useful in arriving at a conclusion. These varieties include the enthymeme, the epichereme, the polysyllogism, the sorites and the dilemma.
The Enthymeme
The enthymeme is an abbreviated or shortened type of categorical syllogism in that one of its premises or its conclusion is left unexpressed. Enthymemes are of three categories, distinguished on the basis of the missing [art of an argument.
1. Missing Major – enthymemes are of the missing major category when the major premise of an argument is not expressed. For example,
Africans are men,
Therefore, they are mortal beings.
2. Missing Minor – enthymemes belong to the missing minor category when the minor premise of an argument is omitted. For example,
Men are mortal beings,
Therefore, Africans are mortal beings.
3. Missing Conclusion – enthymemes whose conclusion is not expresses belong to the missing conclusion category. For example,
Men are mortal beings,
Therefore, Africans are men.
Enthymemes are categorical syllogism because of the presence of three syllogism terms. In the example for each category, above the syllogistic are men,” “Africans,” and “mortal beings.”
To check to which category an enthymeme belongs it will be helpful reconstruct in its full syllogistic form. Then, on the basis of the syllogistic term one can easily determine the category of an enthymeme. Using the example, above, its full syllogistic form is as follows:
Men are mortal beings, but Africans are men; therefore, they (Africans) are mortal beings.
The Epichereme
The epichireme is a type of categorical syllogism whose premise or premises are provided with proofs. The proof is often joined with the premise with a causal connective such as “for”, “because”, “since”, “due to”, and so on.