3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Syllogism  \Syl"lo*gism\,  n.  [OE.  silogisme  OF  silogime 
  sillogisme  F.  syllogisme,  L.  syllogismus  Gr  syllogismo`s  a 
  reckoning  all  together,  a  reasoning,  syllogism,  fr 
  syllogi`zesqai  to  reckon  all  together,  to  bring  at  once 
  before  the  mind,  to  infer,  conclude;  sy`n  with  together  + 
  logi`zesqai  to  reckon,  to  conclude  by  reasoning.  See  {Syn-}, 
  and  {Logistic},  {Logic}.]  (Logic) 
  The  regular  logical  form  of  every  argument,  consisting  of 
  three  propositions,  of  which  the  first  two  are  called  the 
  premises,  and  the  last  the  conclusion.  The  conclusion 
  necessarily  follows  from  the  premises;  so  that  if  these  are 
  true,  the  conclusion  must  be  true,  and  the  argument  amounts 
  to  demonstration; 
 
  Note:  as  in  the  following  example:  Every  virtue  is  laudable; 
  Kindness  is  a  virtue;  Therefore  kindness  is  laudable. 
  These  propositions  are  denominated  respectively  the 
  major  premise,  the  minor  premise,  and  the  conclusion. 
 
  Note:  If  the  premises  are  not  true  and  the  syllogism  is 
  regular,  the  reasoning  is  valid,  and  the  conclusion, 
  whether  true  or  false,  is  correctly  derived. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  syllogism 
  n  :  deductive  reasoning  in  which  a  conclusion  is  derived  from 
  two  premises 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  SYLLOGISM,  n.  A  logical  formula  consisting  of  a  major  and  a  minor 
  assumption  and  an  inconsequent.  (See  LOGIC.) 
 
 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words