LOGIC AND CRITICAL THINKING

REASONING: MEDIATE
INFERENCE
(Categorical Syllogism)
SANNY L. TANGENTE JR.
 Immediate Inference Mediate Inference
o The mind reasons out by o The mind reasons out by
passing directly from one passing two propositions to
proposition to a new a new proposition with the
proposition. help of a medium.

o Only two terms are o Three terms are required

necessary (subject and (subject, predicate, and
predicate). middle term).
o No new truth is being o A new truth is attained.
established or achieved.
 Mediate Inference
A process of reasoning in which
from one proposition, with the aid of
another proposition (or the third term)
called medium, the mind infers not
only a new proposition, but also a new
truth.
 Syllogism
An argument (or a series of
statements connected to each other to
establish a definite proposition) which
consists of three related propositions
so that when the first two propositions
are posited as true the third proposition
must also be true.
 It uses three propositions, namely:
1. Major Premise
2. Minor Premise
3. Conclusion
 It uses three terms, namely:
1. Major term
2. Middle term
3. Minor term
 Kinds of Syllogism
Categorical Syllogism Hypothetical Syllogism
Simple Categorical Connective or
Syllogism conditional
Compound Conjunctive
Categorical Syllogism Disjunctive
 Simple Categorical Syllogism

This uses three propositions and three

terms.
1. Major Premise – the premise that contains
the major term
2. Minor Premise – the premise that contains
the minor term
3. Conclusion – the third premise
All men are mortal. (Major premise)
All Filipinos are men. (Minor premise)
∴ All Filipinos are mortal. (Conclusion)
 Major Term (T). The major term in simple
categorical syllogism is the predicate of the
conclusion. Besides, it must also occur in the
major premise, either as a subject or as a
predicate.
 Minor Term (t). The minor term in simple
categorical syllogism is the subject of the
conclusion. It also occur in the minor premise,
either as a subject or as a predicate.
 Middle Term (M). This is a term in simple
categorical syllogism that must occur only in
the two premises (major and minor) either as a
subject or as a predicate. Hence, it must not
occur in the conclusion.
This serves the purpose of unifying the
minor and major terms in affirmative syllogism
and separating these terms in negative
syllogism.
 Major Term

All men are mortal.

All Filipinos are men.
∴ All Filipinos are mortal.

Minor Term Middle Term

 Issues of Truth and Validity in Syllogism in
arriving Correct Thinking
A syllogism is valid if such conforms with the
rules of logic.
A syllogism achieves the truth if such
conforms with facts.
This means that there can be a true but
invalid argument; and on the contrary, there
can also be a valid but false argument.
 Rules of Categorical Syllogism
1. Every categorical syllogism must contain only
three categorical propositions.
2. Every categorical syllogism must contain only
three univocal terms, each of which occurs
twice, but not in the same proposition.
3. The middle term must be distributed at least
once.
4. If the term is distributed in the conclusion,
then such term must be distributed in a
premise.
 Rules of Categorical Syllogism
5. There must be no two particular premises;
one premise at least must be universal.
6. If one premise is particular, the conclusion
must be particular.
7. If the conclusion is negative, only one
premise must be negative.
8. If the conclusion is affirmative, then both
premises must be affirmative.
 Any argument which violates one or more of
these rules is invalid, hence, it is not at all a
syllogism.
Rule No. 1: There must be only three
categorical propositions.
All golds are metals.
All jewelries are golds.
∴ All jewelries are metals.

All golds are metals.

Invalid
∴ All metals are golds.
 Rule No. 2: There must be only three univocal
terms, each of which occurs twice but not in the
same proposition.

All flowers are beautiful.

Sampaguita is a flower. Valid
∴ Sampaguita is beautiful.

Lapu-lapu is the killer of Magellan.

Lapu-lapu is a fish. Invalid
∴ A fish is the killer of Magellan.
Rule No. 3: The middle term must be
distributed (universal) at least once.
All lions are animals. Invalid
Fallacy of the
All men are animals.
Undistributed
∴ All men are lions. Middle

All trees are plants.

All mahoganies are trees. Valid
∴ All mahoganies are plants.
 Rule No. 4: If the term is distributed in the
conclusion, then such term must be distributed in
a premise.
Some scientific gadgets are cellular
phones. Valid in the rule
All robots are scientific gadgets. But, violates
∴ All robots are cellular phones. Rules 2,3, and 6.

Some lawyers are holy.

Invalid
No criminals are holy.
Fallacy of Illicit
∴ No criminals are lawyers. Major
Rule No. 5: There must be no two particular
premises; one premise at least must be universal.

Some priests are holy.

Some nuns are holy. Invalid
∴ Some nuns are priests.
 Rule No. 6: If one premise is particular, the
conclusion must be particular.

All lawyers are professionals.

Valid in the rule,
Some criminals are professionals. but violates Rule
∴ Some criminals are lawyers. 3
 Rule No. 7: If the conclusion is negative,
only one premise must be negative.

All lawyers are professionals. Invalid

Some criminals are professionals. Fallacy of Illicit
Exclusion
∴ Some criminals are not lawyers.

All lawyers are professionals.

Some criminals are not professionals. Valid
∴ Some criminals are not lawyers.
 Rule No. 8: If the conclusion is affirmative
then both premises must be affirmative.

All senators are legislators.

Valid in the rule,
Some legislators are millionaires. but violates Rule
∴ Some senators are millionaires. 3

All legislators are senators.

All senators are millionaires. Valid
∴ All legislators are millionaires.
 Figures and Moods of Categorical
Syllogism

This refers to the logical form of

syllogism from the standpoint of the
arrangement of the terms and the
arrangement of the propositions according
to quantity and quality.
a. Figures of Categorical Syllogism
(Syllogistic Figure)
The proper arrangement of the middle term
in relation to the major and minor terms in the
premises.
Four Kinds of Syllogistic Figure

Figure 1 (sub-pre)
Figure 2 (pre-pre)
Figure 3 (sub-sub)
Figure 4 (pre-sub)
 Figure 1. The middle term is the subject of
the first premise (major or minor premise) and
the predicate of the second premise (sub-pre).

All human beings are mortal. M T

All Filipinos are human beings. t M
∴ All Filipinos are mortal. ∴t T
 Figure 2. The middle term is the predicate
of both the major and minor premises (pre-
pre).

All saints are creatures of God. T M

No demons are creatures of God. t M
∴ No demons are saints. ∴t T
 Figure 3. The middle term is the subject of
both the major and minor premises (sub-sub).

All Christians are human beings. M T

All Christians are believers of God.
M t
∴ Some believers of God are human ∴t T
beings.
 Figure 4. The middle term is the predicate
of the first premise (major or minor premise)
and the subject of the second premise (pre-
sub).

All law enforcers are educated persons.

T M
All educated persons are virtuous
fellows. M t
∴t T
∴ Some virtuous fellows are law
enforcers.
b. Moods of a Categorical Syllogism
(Syllogistic Mood)
This refers to the disposition or the proper or
orderly arrangement of the premises according
to whether they are universal or particular
(quantity) and affirmation or negation (quality).
 8 Valid Arrangements

Premises Moods
1 2 3 4
Major Premise A A A A
Minor Premise A E I O
 8 Valid Arrangements

Premises Moods
5 6 7 8
Major Premise E E I O
Minor Premise A I A A
c. Rules of the Valid Moods of Each
Figure
 M T
Figure 1 t M
∴t T

Rules
1. The major premise must be universal (A or E).
2. The minor premise must be affirmative (A or I).
 Valid Moods in Figure 1

Premises Moods
1 2 3 4
Major Premise A A E E
Minor Premise A I A I
Conclusion A I E O
 T M
Figure 2 t M
∴t T

Rules
1. The major premise must be universal (A or E).
2. One of the premises (including the conclusion)
must be negative (E or O).
 Valid Moods in Figure 2

Premises Moods
1 2 3 4
Major Premise A A E E
Minor Premise E O A I
Conclusion E O E O
 M T
Figure 3 M t
∴t T

Rules
1. The minor premise must be affirmative (A or I).
2. The conclusion must be particular (I or O).
3. One premise must always be universal (A or E).
 Valid Moods in Figure 3

Premises Moods
1 2 3 4
Major Premise A A E E
Minor Premise A I A I
Conclusion I I O O
 Valid Moods in Figure 3

Premises Moods
5 6
Major Premise I O
Minor Premise A A
Conclusion I O
 T M
Figure 4 M t
∴t T
Rules
1. If the major premise is affirmative (A or I), the minor
premise must be universal (A or E).
2. If the minor premise is affirmative (A or I), the minor
premise must be particular (I or O).
3. If one of the premises (including the conclusion) is
negative (E or O), the major premise must be universal.
 Valid Moods in Figure 4

Premises Moods
1 2 3 4
Major Premise A A I E
Minor Premise A E A A
Conclusion I E I O
 Valid Moods in Figure 4

Premises Moods
5
Major Premise E
Minor Premise I
Conclusion O