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CATEGORICAL SYLLOGISM
1. Basic Structure
A categorical syllogism is an argument consisting of exactly three categorical propositions (two premises and a
conclusion) in which there appear a total of exactly three categorical terms, each of which is used exactly twice.
Example: Every animal is mortal;
but every dog is an animal;
therefore every dog is mortal.
In the example above, “dog” and “mortal” are united through the union of each of them with “animal.”
The first proposition of this example is the major premise; the second proposition is the minor premise; and the
third is the conclusion. “Mortal,” the predicate of the conclusion, is the major term; “dog,” the subject of the conclusion, is
the minor term; and “animal,” which occurs both in the premises but not in the conclusion, is the middle term.
2. Terms of the Categorical Syllogism
2.1 Major Term
The major term is the predicate of the conclusion. The major term must occur in the conclusion and in one of the
premises, generally the first, which is therefore called the MAJOR PREMISE. We shall designate the major term by
P.
2.2 Minor Term
The minor term is the subject of the conclusion. The minor term must occur in the conclusion and in the premise
in which the major term does not. This MINOR PREMISE is often introduced by the adversative conjunction “but”
(because in controversy, it introduces a turn of thought contrary to the expectations of an opponent). We shall
designate the minor term by S.
2.3 Middle Term
The middle term occurs in each of the premises but not in the conclusion. In the major premise it occurs in
conjunction with the major term; and in the minor premise, in conjunction with the minor term. We shall designate
the middle term by M.
The structure, or form, of the syllogism above can be displayed in any of the following ways:

Every animal is mortal.

M P
but every dog is an animal
S M
therefore every dog is mortal.
S P
In analyzing a syllogism, first pick out a conclusion, noting its subject (S) and predicate (P). Then if you
are analyzing a categorical syllogism, look for the premise in which the minor term (S) occurs; this is the minor
premise and should contain the minor (S) and middle (M) terms. Then look for the premise in which the major term
(P) occurs.; this is the major premise and should contain the major (P) and middle (M) terms.

3. Rules and Formal Fallacies for Categorical Syllogism

3.1 Rule 1: A valid categorical syllogism only has three terms, each of which is used in the same sense throughout the
argument.
Formal Fallacy: Fallacy of Four Terms
Fallacious Example: All men are rational beings.
No woman is a man.
Therefore, No woman is a rational being.
This is a fallacy since the term 'man' has two different meanings, hence two different terms. This is a fallacy of
four terms.
3.2 Rule 2: The middle term must be distributed at least once.
Formal Fallacy: Undistributed middle
Fallacious Example:
  All sharks are fish All P are M
All salmon are fish All S are M
All salmon are sharks All S are P
The middle term ‘fish’ as used in both premises is never distributed, hence a fallacy of undistributed middle.
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 3.3 Rule3: If a term is distributed in the conclusion, then it must be distributed in a premise.
Formal Fallacy: Illicit major; illicit minor
Fallacious Example 1:      
All horses are animals
Some dogs are not horses
Some dogs are not animals
 The major term ‘animals’ is distributed in the conclusion but not in the major premise, hence this is a fallacy of
the illicit major.
Fallacious Example 2:
All tigers are mammals
All mammals are animals
All animals are tigers
The minor term ‘animals’ is distributed in the conclusion but not in the minor premise, hence this is a fallacy of
the illicit minor.
3.4 Rule 4: Two negative premises are not allowed.
Formal Fallacy: Exclusive premises
Fallacious Example:
  No fish are mammals
Some dogs are not fish
Some dogs are not mammals
Since the two premises are negative, it is not possible to derive a valid conclusion.
3.5 Rule 5: If either premise is negative, the conclusion must be negative.
Formal Fallacy: Drawing an affirmative conclusion from a negative premise.
Fallacious Example:
  All crows are birds
Some wolves are not crows
Some wolves are birds
One of the premises (the minor premise) is negative and yet the conclusion is affirmative, hence this is a fallacy of
drawing an affirmative conclusion from a negative premise.
3.6 Rule 6: If both premises are affirmative, then the conclusion must be affirmative
Formal Fallacy: Drawing a negative conclusion from an affirmative premise.
Fallacious Example:
All risk takers are gamblers.
Some Filipinos are gamblers.
Some Filipinos are not risk takers.
Both premises are affirmative and yet the conclusion is negative, hence this is a fallacy of drawing a negative
conclusion from an affirmative premise.
3.7 Rule 7: If both premises are universal, the conclusion cannot be particular.
Fallacy: Existential fallacy
Fallacious Example:
  All mammals are animals
All tigers are mammals
Some tigers are animals
Both premises are universal and yet the conclusion is particular
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4. Figures of the Categorical Syllogism
Figures of the categorical syllogism refer to the logical order or position of the middle term (M) with respect to the
major (P) and minor terms (S) in the premises of a syllogism.
Figures of the Categorical Syllogism
First Figure(sub-pre) Second Figure(pre- Third Figure(sub-sub) Fourth Figure(pre-
pre) sub)
M – P P – M M – P P – M
Schematic
Presentation S – M S – M M – S M – S

S – P S – P S – P S – P
The middle term is The middle term is The middle term is The middle term is the
the subject of the the predicate of both the subject of both predicate of the major
Description major premise and the major and minor major and minor premise and the
predicate of the minor premises. premises. subject of the minor
premise. premise.

First Figure
MP
All animals are a nuisance.
SM  In the first figure, the middle term is the
All dogs are animals. subject of the major premise and the predicate of
SP the minor premise.
Therefore, All dogs are a nuisance.

Second Figure
 In the second figure, the middle term is the
P M No statesmen are good politicians. predicate of both major and minor premises.

SM
Some journalists are good politicians.
SP
Therefore, some journalists are not statesmen.

Third Figure
 In the third figure, the middle term is the subject
MP of both major and minor premises.
All writers are intelligent.
MS
Some writers are Filipino citizens.
SP
Therefore, Some Filipino citizens are intelligent.

Fourth Figure
 In the fourth figure, the middle term is the
PM predicate of the major premise and the subject of the
All Filipinos are happy people.
minor premise.
MS
All happy people are fun-loving
SP
Therefore, Some fun-loving people are Filipinos.

5. Moods of the Categorical Syllogism

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Mood is the classification of categorical syllogisms according to the quantity (universal or particular) and quality
(affirmative or negative) of their constituent propositions. There are four forms of propositions: A (universal affirmative),
E (universal negative), I (particular affirmative), and O (particular negative). Because each syllogism has three
propositions and each proposition may take four different forms, there are 64 different patterns (moods) of syllogisms.
Each of the 64 moods can appear in each of the four figures. Therefore, there are exactly 256 (64 x 4) possible forms of
the standard-form categorical syllogism. The vast majority of these forms are not valid. Only 15 are accepted as valid.
Various mnemonic terms are employed to label these moods. The vowels of these terms represent the forms of
propositions in the syllogism.

Figure Moods Mnemonics Categorical Syllogism Pattern (P - major term; S-minor term; M- middle term)
1 All M are P (MP- A)
First AAA Barbara All S are M (SM- A)
Figure therefore, All S are P (SP- A)
2 No M is P (MP- E)
EAE Celarent All S are M (SM- A)
therefore, No S is P (SP- E)
3 All M are P (MP- A)
AII Darii Some S are M (SM- I)
therefore, Some S are P (SP- I)
4 No M is P (MP- E)
EIO Ferio Some S are M (SM- I)
therefore, Some S are not P (SP- O)

5 All P are M (PM-A)

Second AOO Baroco Some S are not M (SM-O)
Figure therefore, Some S are not P (SP-O)
6 No P is M (PM-E)
EAE Cesare All S are M (SM-A)
therefore, No S is P (SP-E)
7 All P are M (PM-A)
AEE Camestres No S is M (SM-E)
therefore, No S is P (SP-E)
8 No P is M (PM-E)
EIO Festino Some S are M (SM-I)
therefore, Some S are not P (SP-O)

9 Some M are not P (MP-O)

OAO Bocardo All M are S (MS-A)
therefore, Some S are not P (SP-O)
10 All M are P (MP-A)
AII Datisi Some M are S (MS-I)
Third therefore, Some S are P (SP-I)
Figure 11 Some M are P (MP-I)
IAI Disamis All M are S (MS-A)
therefore, Some S are P (SP-I)
12 No M is P (MP-E)
EIO Ferison Some M are S (MS-I)
therefore, Some S are not P (SP-O)

13 AEE Camenes All P are M (PM- A)

No M is S (MS- E)
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therefore, No S is P (SP- E)
Fourth 14 Some P are M (PM-I)
Figure IAI Dimaris All M are S (MS- A)
therefore, Some S are P (SP- I)
15 No P is M (PM- E)
EIO Fresison Some M are S (MS- I)
therefore, Some S are not P (SP- O)