THE

CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISM
MichaelJhonM.Tamayao,M.
A.Phil.

LOGIC
CollegeofMedicalTechnology
Topics
I. INTRODUCTION III THE STANDARD
.
 Review of categorical FORMS OF A VALID
propositions CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISM
 Figures
 Moods
I. RULES F O R  The Valid Forms
MAKING
of Categorical
VALID
Syllogisms
CATEGORICAL
 SYLLOGISMS III SUMMARY
.
The 10 rules
Objectives
 At the end of the discussion, the participants
should have:
 Acquainted themselves with the rules for making
valid categorical syllogisms.
 Understood what is meant by mood, figure, &
form.
 Acquainted themselves with the valid forms of
categorical syllogisms.
 Acquired the abilities to make a valid categorical
syllogism.
 I. INTRODUCTION
 Review of the Categorical Propositions:

TYP FORM QUANTI QUALITY DISTRIBUTIO

E T N
Y Subject
Predicate
A All S is P Universal Affirmative Distributed Undistributed
E No S is P Universal Negative Distributed Distributed
I Some S is P Particular Affirmative Undistributed Undistributed
O Some S is not P Particular Negative Undistributed Distributed
I. INTRODUCTION
 What is a categorical syllogism?
 It is kind of a mediate deductive argument,
which is composed of three standard form
categorical propositions that uses only three
distinct terms.
 Ex.
Allpoliticiansaregoodinrhetoric.
Allcouncilorsarepoliticians.
Therefore,allcouncilorsaregoodinrhetoric.
 II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 1.A validcategoricalsyllogismonly
h a s t h r e e t e r m s : t h e m a j o r, t h e m i n o r,
andthemiddleterm.

Major Term MIDDLE MinorTerm

1 TERM 3
2
 II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 Ex.
Allpoliticiansa re sociable p e o pl e .
Allcouncilors a re politicians.
T h e r e f o r e , all c o u n c i l o r s a r e s o c i a b l e
people.

Sociable
Politicians Councilors
People ( M i d d l e Te r m )
( M a j o r Te r ( M i n o r Te r m
m) )
II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
Sociable People

Politician
s

Councilors
II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 The major term is predicate of the
conclusion. It appears in the Major Premise
(which is usually the first premise).
 The minor term is the subject of the
conclusion. It appears in the Minor Premise
(which is usually the second premise).
 The middle term is the term that connects
or separates other terms completely or partially.
 II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 2.E a c h termofa validcategorical
syllogismm u s t occurintwo
propositionsofthea r g u m en t .
E x . Allpoliticiansa re soc iable pe o pl e .
Allcouncilors a re politicians.
The re fore , allc ounc ilors a re soc iabl e p e o p l e .

Politicians– occurs in the first and second premise.

SociablePeople– occurs in the first premise and
conclusion.
Councilors– occurs in the second premise and conclusion.
 II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
Sociable PoliticiansSecond PremiseCouncilors
People First Premise ( M i d d l e Te r m )
( M a j o r Te r ( M i n o r Te r m )
m)

Sociable Politicians
Conclusion Councilors
People ( M i n o r Te r m
( M i d d l e Te r m )
( M a j o r Te r
)
m)
II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 3.Ina validcategoricalsyllogism,a major
orminortermm a y notb e universal(or
distributed)intheconclusionunlessthey
areuniversal(ordistributed)inthe
p re m i s e s .
“Each & “Some”
every” Y
X
“Each & “Some”
every” X
Z
“Each & “Some”
every” Y
Z
II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 4.T h e middletermina valid
categoricalsyllogismmust be
distributed inatleast o n e ofits
o c c u r re n c e .
 Ex.
Some animals are pigs.
All cats are animals.
Some cats are pigs.
II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
Some animals are pigs. There is a possibility
All cats are animals. Some that the middle term
cats are pigs. is not the same.

“ALL” Animals

Cats Some Some

animal animal Pigs
s s
 II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
Some gamblers are cheaters. Some There is a possibility
Filipinos are gamblers. Some that the middle term
Filipinos are cheaters. is not the same.

“ALL” Gamblers

Filipinos Some Some

gambler gambler Cheaters
s s
II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 5 . I n a v a l i d c a t e g o r i c a l s y l l o g i s m , if
bothpremises areaffirmative,thenthe
conclusionm u s t b e affirmative.
 Ex.
All risk-takers are gamblers. (A)
Some Filipinos are gamblers. (I)
Some Filipinos are risk-takers. (I)
II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 Ex.
All gamblers are risk-takers. (A)
Some Filipinos are gamblers. (I)
Some Filipinos are risk-takers. (I)

Risk-takers Some Filipinos who

are gamblers.
All
gamblers Filipinos
 II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 6 . I n a v a l i d c a t e g o r i c a l s y l l o g i s m , if
o n e p re m i s e isaffirmativea n d the
othernegative,theconclusionmustbe
negative
 Ex.
No computer is useless. (E) V M
All ATM are computers. (A)
No ATM is useless. (E) m V

m M
 II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 7.N o validcategoricalpropositionc a n
havetwonegativepremises.

 Ex.
(E) V M
No country is leaderless.
(E) m V
No ocean is a country.
Nooceanisleaderless. (E)
m No possible M
relation.
 II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 8.Atleasto n e premisem u s t b e
universalina validcategorical
syllogism.
 Ex.
V M
Some kids are music-lovers. (I)
Some Filipinos are kids. (I) m V
SomeFilipinosaremusic-lovers. (I)
m No possible M
relation.
 II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 9 . I n a v a l i d c a t e g o r i c a l s y l l o g i s m , ifa
p r e m i s e i s p a r t i c u l a r, t h e c o n c l u s i o n
m u s t a l s o b e p a r t i c u l a r.
 Ex. “Each & “Some”
All angles are winged-beings. (A every” M
V “Some”
) “Some”
Some creatures are angles.(I) m V

Somecreaturesarewinged-beings. (I) “Some” “Some”

m M
 II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 9 . I n a v a l i d c a t e g o r i c a l s y l l o g i s m , ifa
p r e m i s e i s p a r t i c u l a r, t h e c o n c l u s i o n
m u s t a l s o b e p a r t i c u l a r.
 Ex. “Each & “Some”
All angles are winged-beings. (A every” M
V
)(I) “Some” “Some”
Some creatures are angles. m V
Allcreaturesarewinged-beings. (A)
“ALL “Some”
” M
m
II. RULES FOR MAKING
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISMS
 10.Ina validcategoricalsyllogism,the
actualreale x i st e n c e ofa subjectm a y n o t
b e a s s e r t e d i n t h e c o n c l u s i o n u n l e s s it
h a s b e e n assertedinthepremises.
 Ex.
Thisw o o d floats. T h a t w o o d floats.
T h e re f o re , allw o o d floats.
III. THE STANDARD FORMS OF A
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISM
 The logical form is the structure of the
categorical syllogism as indicated by its
“figure” and “mood.”
 “Figure” is the arrangement of the
terms (major, minor, and middle) of the
argument.
 “Mood” is the arrangement of the
propositions by quantity and quality.
 III. THE STANDARD FORMS OF A
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISM
 FIGURES:

M is P P is M M is P P is M
S is M S is M is S M is S
S is P S is P M is P S is P
S
(Figure1) (Figure2)

(Figure4)
(Figure3)
III. THE STANDARD FORMS OF A
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISM
 MOODS:
4 types of categorical propositions (A, E, I, O)
Each type can be used thrice in an argument.
There are possible four figures.
Calculation: There can be 256 possible forms of a
categorical syllogism.
 But only 1 6 forms are valid.
 III. THE STANDARD FORMS OF A
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISM
 Valid f o r m s for the first figure:

Major Premise A A E E
Minor Premise A I A I
Conclusion A I E I
 S im p le tips to b e o b s e r v e d in the first figure:
1. T h e major premise m u s t b e universal. ( A or E)
2. T h e minor premise m u s t b e affirmative. ( A or I)
 III. THE STANDARD FORMS OF A
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISM
 Valid fo rms for the s e c o n d figure:

Major Premise A A E E
Minor Premise E O A I
Conclusion E O E O
 Simple tips to b e observed in the s e c o n d figure:
1. T h e major premise m u s t b e universal. ( A or E)
2. At least o n e premise must b e negative.
 III. THE STANDARD FORMS OF A
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISM
 Valid f o r m s for the third figure:
Major Premise A A E E I O
Minor Premise A I A I A A
Conclusion I I O O I O
 Simple tips to b e o bserv es in the third figure:
1. T h e minor premise m u s t b e affirmative (A or I).
2. T h e conclusion m u s t b e particular (I or O).
 III. THE STANDARD FORMS OF A
VALID CATEGORICAL
SYLLOGISM
 Valid f o r m s for the fourth figure:
Major Premise A A E E I
Minor Premise A E A I A
Conclusion I E O O I
 Three rules are to b e observed:
1. If the major pre mi se is affirmative, the major pre mi se
must be universal.
2. If the minor premise is affirmative, the conclusion
must be particular.
3. If a premise (and the conclusion) is negative, the
major premise must be universal.
 SUMMARY
 Summarizing all the valid forms, we have the
following table:
Figure Mood Figure Mood Figure Mood Figure Mood

1 AA 2 AEE 3 AAI 4 AAI

1 A AII 2 AOO 3 AII 4 AEE
1 EAA 2 EAE 3 EAO 4 EAO
1 EII 2 EIO 3 EIO 4 EIO
3 IAI 4 IAI
3 OAO