Traditional Logic II

Martin Cothran
Instructor

Traditional Logic II

Chapter 10

1
 Traditional Logic II

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

2
Polysyllogisms and Sorites
Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

3
Polysyllogisms and Sorites
Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

4
Polysyllogisms and Sorites
Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

5
Polysyllogisms and Sorites
Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

6
Polysyllogisms and Sorites
Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

7
 Complex Syllogisms

Complex syllogisms are syllogisms that are

made up of several simple syllogisms

Types of Complex Arguments

Polysyllogisms
Sorites
Epicheirema
Dilemmas

8
Polysyllogisms and Sorites
Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

9
 What is a Polysyllogism?

A polysyllogism is a syllogism that links

together several syllogisms in such a way that
the conclusion of one of the component
syllogisms serves as a premise for the next

Polysyllogism
(1) All good students understand polysyllogisms
(2) All students of logic are good students
(3) Therefore, all students of logic will
understand polysyllogisms
(4) But all people who read this book are
students of logic
(5) Therefore, all people who read this book
will readily understand polysyllogisms

10
 Polysyllogism
(1) All good students understand polysyllogisms
(2) All students of logic are good students
(3) Therefore, all students of logic will
understand polysyllogisms
(4) But all people who read this book are
students of logic
(5) Therefore, all people who read this book
will readily understand polysyllogisms

Polysyllogism
(1) All good students understand polysyllogisms
(2) All students of logic are good students
(3) Therefore, all students of logic will
understand polysyllogisms
(4) But all people who read this book are
students of logic
(5) Therefore, all people who read this book
will readily understand polysyllogisms

11
 Polysyllogism
(1) All good students understand polysyllogisms
(2) All students of logic are good students
(3) Therefore, all students of logic will
understand polysyllogisms
(4) But all people who read this book are
students of logic
(5) Therefore, all people who read this book
will readily understand polysyllogisms

Polysyllogism

(1) All A is B
(2) All C is A
(3) Therefore, All C is B
(4) All D is C
(5) Therefore, all D is B

12
 Polysyllogism

(1) All A is B
(2) All C is A
(3) Therefore, All C is B
(4) All D is C
(5) Therefore, all D is B

Polysyllogism

(1) All A is B
(2) All C is A
(3) Therefore, All C is B
(4) All D is C
(5) Therefore, all D is B

13
 Polysyllogism

(1) All A is B
(2) All C is A
(3) Therefore, All C is B
(4) All D is C
(5) Therefore, all D is B

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

14
Polysyllogisms and Sorites
Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

Validity of Polysyllogisms

A polysyllogism is valid if all of its component

syllogisms is valid.

15
Polysyllogisms and Sorites
Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

16
 What is a Sorites?

A sorites is a polysyllogism which, through a chain of

premises (without the intermediate conclusions)
connects the subject of the first premise with the
predicate of the last premise

Types of Sorites

Aristotelian
Goclenian

17
Polysyllogisms and Sorites
Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

18
 Aristotelian Sorites

An Aristotelian sorites is a series of fourth figure

syllogisms with all of the conclusions unexpressed
except the last one

Aristotelian Sorites
(1) All students of logic are good students
(2) All good students read this logic book
(3) All people who read this logic book will
readily understand sorites
(4) All students who readily understand sorites
are intelligent
(5) Therefore, all students of logic are
intelligent

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Aristotelian Sorites

All A is B
All B is C
All C is D
All D is E
Therefore, all A is E

Aristotelian Sorites

All A is B
All B is C
All C is D
All D is E
Therefore, all A is E

20
Aristotelian Sorites

All A is B
All B is C
All C is D
All D is E
Therefore, all A is E

Aristotelian Sorites

All A is B
All B is C
All C is D
All D is E
Therefore, all A is E

21
Polysyllogisms and Sorites
Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

22
 Extrapolation

Extrapolation is the process of bringing out all of the

unexpressed reasoning in a syllogism in order to see
the reasoning clearly

Steps in Extrapolation

Step #1: Switch the order of the first two premises

23
 Aristotelian Sorites
(1) All students of logic are good students
(2) All good students read this logic book
(3) All people who read this logic book will
readily understand sorites
(4) All students who readily understand sorites
are intelligent
(5) Therefore, all students of logic are
intelligent

Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

24
 Steps in Extrapolation

Step #1: Switch the order of the first two premises

Step #2: Draw the conclusion

Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

25
 Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

26
 Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
Therefore, all students of logic read this logic
book
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

Steps in Extrapolation

Step #1: Switch the order of the first two premises

Step #2: Draw the conclusion
Step #3: Put the new conclusion under the next premise

27
 Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
Therefore, all students of logic read this logic
book
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
Therefore, all students of logic read this logic book
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students of logic read this logic book
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

28
 Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
Therefore, all students of logic read this logic book
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students of logic read this logic book
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
Therefore, all students of logic read this logic book
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students of logic read this logic book
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

29
 Steps in Extrapolation

Step #1: Switch the order of the first two premises

Step #2: Draw the conclusion
Step #3: Put the new conclusion under the next premise
Step #4: Repeat the procedure as needed

Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
Therefore, all students of logic read this logic book
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students of logic read this logic book
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

30
 Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
Therefore, all students of logic read this logic book
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students of logic read this logic book
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
Therefore, all students of logic read this logic book
All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students of logic read this logic book
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

31
 Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
Therefore, all students of logic read this logic book

All people who read this logic book will readily
understand sorites
All students of logic read this logic book
Therefore, all students of logic will readily understand
sorites
All students who readily understand sorites are
intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

Aristotelian Sorites
All good students read this logic book
All students of logic are good students
Therefore, all students of logic read this logic book
All people who read this logic book will readily understand
sorites
All students of logic read this logic book
logic will readily understand
Therefore, all students of sorites
All students who readily understand sorites are intelligent
Therefore, all students of logic will readily understand
sorites
Therefore, all students of logic are intelligent

32
Polysyllogisms and Sorites
Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

Polysyllogisms and Sorites

Types of complex syllogisms
What is a polysyllogism?
The validity of polysyllogisms
What is a sorites?
The Aristotelian sorites
Extrapolating Aristotelian sorites
The validity of Aristotelian sorites
Rules for sorites

33
 Rules for Sorites

Rule #1: Only the premise which contains the minor

term may be particular
Rule #2: Only the premise which contains the major
term may be negative

Rules for Sorites

Rule #1: Only the premise which contains the minor

term may be particular
Rule #2: Only the premise which contains the major
term may be negative

34
 Rules for Sorites

Rule #1: Only the premise which contains the minor

term may be particular
Rule #2: Only the premise which contains the major
term may be negative

Exercises

35