“Teach a child WHAT to THINK and you make him a slave of knowledge;

But, teach a child HOW to THINK and you make knowledge his slave.”

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Prepared by Mr. Roland Lorenzo M. Ruben
Philosophy section, SSD
De La Salle University - Dasmariñas Page 2
 Remember
module 2

 That which is affirmed or denied in a

proposition refers to a relation between
two terms. This relation is of 2 kinds:
◦ 1st, a relationship of affirming or denying
something;
◦ 2nd, a relation of dependence,
opposition or similarity.
 These give rise to 2 fundamental divisions
of a proposition:
◦ Categorical propositions
◦ Hypothetical propositions

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 How does the hypothetical proposition
differ from the categorical proposition?
 While the categorical proposition
makes a definite and unqualified
assertion, the hypothetical
proposition does not declare an
unqualified affirmation or denial.
 It expresses the dependence of one
affirmation or denial on another.
 There are three types of hypothetical
propositions.

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1. Conditional
 The conditional proposition is a hypothetical
proposition which expresses a relation in
virtue of which one proposition necessarily
flows from the other because a definite
condition is verified or not verified.
Sometimes these are called the "if"
propositions.
 The part of the proposition containing the "if"
is called the "condition" or the "antecedent."
The other part is called the "conditioned" or
the "consequent."
 Notice there is a strict relation expressed in a
conditional hypothetical proposition. The
"antecedent" must be true before the
"consequent" can follow.
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1. Conditional
 The truth of conditional hypothetical propositions
does not depend on the truth of the statements taken
by themselves or individually. The truth depends on
the relation between the statements.
 For example, take the proposition "If the barometer
falls, there will be a storm." We are not asserting that
the barometer is falling. We are not asserting that a
storm is coming. We are simply saying that the
coming of a storm is dependent on low atmospheric
pressure which is indicated by the falling of the
mercury in a barometer.
 In a conditional hypothetical proposition, it is the
dependence of one idea on the other that is affirmed
or denied. The truth of the whole statement rests on
the truth of the dependence.
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Logical form: If ………......., then …..........
(antecedent) (consequent)

1. If an animal is incapable of thinking, then an

animal is not a man.
2. If he has cancer, then he is seriously ill.
3. If over-dosage of medicine is dangerous,
then it must be avoided.
4. If the barometer falls, there will be a storm.
5. If Peter is a good boy, he will be able to go
on the trip.
6. If I make a lot of money, then I will be able to
buy a mansion.

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2. Disjunctive
 The disjunctive hypothetical proposition is one
which contains an "either-or" statement,
indicating that the implied judgments cannot be
true together nor false together, but one must be
true and the other must be false.
 Unlike a conjunctive, a disjunctive proposition
contains two or more members (disjuncts)
which are joined together by “either…. or…..”
 For a proposition to be a proper disjunction, all
the possible alternatives must be present or
expressed; then the truth of one is established by
eliminating all the others.
 This type of proposition should present no
difficulty.
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Logical form: Either …….........., or ….......…
(disjunct) (disjunct)

1. Either he committed suicide or he was

killed by somebody.
2. Either the patient is operated on or he
will die.
3. I will go to Ozamiz (either) by plane,
by boat or by land travel.
4. Either the sun or the earth moves in an
orbit.
5. An automobile is either in motion or at
rest.

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3. Conjunctive
• The conjunctive hypothetical proposition is one
which expresses a judgment that two alternative
assumptions are not or cannot be true at the
same time. It is characterized by two elements
which exclude one another, so that they cannot
be true together and they cannot be false
together.
• For the truth of such a proposition, it is necessary
that they be really irreconcilable at the same
time. If we can prove that they may be present
together, we would prove the statement to be
false.
• The component parts (conjuncts) are joined by
the conjunctive particle “cannot be both…. and
….at the same time.”
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Logical form: “…cannot be….. and ….. at the same time.
(conjunct) (conjunct)

1. A student cannot be diligent and non-

diligent at the same time.
2. You cannot be a loyal soldier and seditious
at the same time.
3. It is obvious that a person cannot be a black
man and a Caucasian at the same time.
4. An automobile cannot be in motion and at
rest at the same time.
5. A person cannot be a saint or a sinner at the
same time.

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 A hypothetical syllogism is one
whose major premise is a
hypothetical proposition while its
minor premise and conclusion are
categorical propositions.
 There are three (3) kinds of
hypothetical syllogisms.
◦ Conditional
◦ Disjunctive
◦ Conjunctive

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1. Conditional Syllogism
• It is one whose major premise is a conditional
proposition consisting of an antecedent and
consequent, while the minor premise affirms or
denies either the antecedent or the consequent
of the major premise, and the conclusion
merely expresses whatever follows from its
affirmation or denial.

Rule no. 1 Rule no. 2

• Posit the antecedent, posit the • Sublate the consequent,
consequent. sublate the antecedent.
• Posit the consequent, no • Sublate the antecedent, no
conclusion. conclusion.

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1. Conditional Syllogism

Rule no. 1
• Posit the antecedent, posit the consequent.
• Posit the consequent, no conclusion.

This is known, in symbolic logic, as Modus

Ponens. If the ANTECEDENT is affirmed in the
minor premise, the CONSEQUENT must also be
affirmed in the conclusion. The truth of the
consequent follows from the truth of the antecedent.
Ex: If you are honest, then people will admire you.
but, you are honest,
therefore, people will admire you.
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1. Conditional Syllogism

Rule no. 1
• Posit the antecedent, posit the consequent.
• Posit the consequent, no conclusion.

This gives rise to the Fallacy of Affirming the

Consequent which is committed when the
consequent is affirmed in the minor premise.
Ex: If you are honest, then people will admire you.
but, people admire you;
therefore, you are honest.

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1. Conditional Syllogism
Rule no. 2
• Sublate the consequent, sublate the antecedent.
• Sublate the antecedent, no conclusion.

This is known as Modus Tollens. If the

CONSEQUENT is rejected in the minor premise,
the ANTECEDENT must also be rejected in the
conclusion. The falsity of the antecedent follows
from the falsity of the consequent.
Ex: If you are honest, then people will admire you.
but, people don’t admire you;
therefore, you are not honest.

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1. Conditional Syllogism

Rule no. 2
• Sublate the consequent, sublate the antecedent.
• Sublate the antecedent, no conclusion.

This gives rise to the Fallacy of Rejecting the

Antecedent which is committed when the
antecedent is rejected in the minor premise.
Ex: If you are honest, then people will admire you.
but, you are not honest.;
Therefore, people don’t admire you.

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 POSITING PROCESS  SUBLATING PROCESS

a. A : B a. A : B
A___ -B___
B -A
b. A : -B b. A : -B
A____ B____
-B -A
c. -A : B c. -A : B
-A___ -B____
B A
d. -A : -B d. -A : -B
-A____ B_____
-B A
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• If you are not happy then you are
sad;
• But, you are not happy;
• Therefore, you are sad.

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2. Disjunctive Syllogism
A disjunctive syllogism is one whose major
premise is a disjunctive proposition consisting of
alternative (disjuncts), while the minor premise
affirms or denies any of the disjuncts, and the
conclusion merely expresses whatever follows
from its affirmation or denial.

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2. Disjunctive Syllogism
In the case of complete disjunction whose parts
are mutually exclusive, i.e., they contradict each
other, the following rules apply:

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2. Disjunctive Syllogism
Rule 1. The minor premise affirms one
disjunct and the conclusion rejects the other.

Ex: The accused is either guilty or not guilty;

But, he is guilty; (affirmed)
Therefore, he is not not guilty. (rejected)

The accused is either guilty or not guilty;

But, he is not guilty; (affirmed)
Therefore, he is not guilty. (rejected)
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2. Disjunctive Syllogism
• The accused is either guilty or not guilty;
• But he is (posit) guilty,
• ergo, he is not (sublate) not guilty.

• The accused is either guilty or not guilty,

• But he is (posit) not guilty,
• Ergo, he is not (sublate) guilty.

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2. Disjunctive Syllogism
Rule 2: The minor premise rejects one disjunct
and the conclusion affirms the other.

Ex: The accused is either guilty or not guilty;

But, he is guilty; (rejected)
Therefore, he is guilty. (affirmed)
The accused is either guilty or not guilty;
But, he is not guilty; (rejected)
Therefore, he is not guilty. (affirmed)
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Given here are the different patterns of the disjunctive syllogism for the
posit-sublate process and the sublate-posit process. The first disjunct is
symbolized by A and the second by B. The relation that exists between
the two is expressed by the sign v (wedge)

 PONENDO-TOLLENS  TOLLENDO-PONENS
PROCESS PROCESS

a. A v B a. A v B
A____ -A____
-B B
b. A v -B b. A v -B
A_____ -A____
B -B
c. -A v B c. -A v B
-A____ A____
-B B
d. -A v -B d. -A v -B
-A_____ A_____
B -B
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2. Disjunctive Syllogism
In incomplete disjunction whose parts are not
mutually exclusive, i.e. , they don’t contradict each
other, these rules apply:

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2. Disjunctive Syllogism
Rule 1: The minor premise affirms one
disjunct and the conclusion rejects the other.

Ex: The test is either easy or difficult;

But, it is easy; (affirmed)
Therefore, it is NOT difficult. (rejected)
The test is either easy or difficult;
But, it is difficult; (affirmed)
Therefore, it is NOT easy. (rejected)
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 2. Disjunctive Syllogism
Rule 2: The minor premise rejects one
disjunct and there will be no conclusion.

Ex: The test is either easy or difficult;

But, it is not easy; (rejected)
Therefore, it is difficult. (affirmed)

This machine is either light or heavy;

But, it is not heavy; (rejected)
Therefore, it is light. (affirmed)

Fallacy of Tollendo-ponens Page 30

It is one whose major premise is a conjunctive
proposition consisting of alternatives
(conjuncts), while the minor premise affirms or
denies any of the conjuncts, and the conclusion
merely expresses whatever follows from its
affirmation or denial.

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Rule 1. The minor premise affirms one
conjunct and the conclusion rejects the
other.

Ex: The passenger cannot be in the tricycle and in the bus at

the same time;
But, he is in the tricycle; (affirmed)
Therefore, he is not in the bus. (rejected)

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Rule 2. But, from the falsity of one conjunct, the
truth of the other does not necessarily
follow.

Ex: The passenger cannot be in the tricycle and in the bus at

the same time;
But, he is not in the tricycle; (rejected)
Therefore, he is in the bus. (affirmed)

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 Given here are the different patterns of the conjunctive syllogism for the
posit-sublate process and the sublate-posit process. The first conjunct is
symbolized by A and the second by B. The relation that exists between the
two is expressed by the sign • (dot)

 POSIT-SUBLATE PROCESS
 SUBLATE-POSIT PROCESS
a. A•B
A__ a. A• B
-B -A__
NC
b. A • -B
A___ b. A • -B
B -A___
NC
c. -A • B
-A___ c. -A • B
-B A___
NC
d. -A • -B
d. -A • -B
-A___
A___
B
NC

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Module 3e: Hypothetical Propositions and
Syllogisms

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