Syllogisms

Basics

The syllogism comes in 3 propositions and has 3 terms

Terms

Major term: Term taken in the major premise

Minor term: Term taking in the minor premise

Middle term: Term that links the aforementioned terms together

Premises

Major premise: Premise that asserts a relationship between the major term and the middle term

Major premise: Premise that asserts a relationship between the minor term and the middle term

Conclusion: Assuming the premises are true, it is then proved the major and minor terms are linked.

Figures

Figure 1

The middle term is a subject in one premise and a predicate in the other

Example

1. All mammals are creatures that have hair.
2. All dogs are mammals.
3. Therefore, all dogs are creatures that have hair.

Figure 2

The middle term is the predicate of both premises.

Example

1. No states with coastlines are states that are landlocked.
2. Some U.S. states are states that are landlocked.
3. Therefore, some U.S. states are not states with coastlines.

Figure 3

The middle term is the subject of both premises.

Modern Interpretation

Info on Figure 4 and how ordering of the terms was deemed to be of concern. New definitions of the terms (major term is the predicate of the conclusion specifically)

This is important has Hegel does call this out but does not use it in his logic. I have not read this part of the SoL yet but I assume he takes like others have the ordering per Figure 1 doesn't matter and the reflections in this "Figure 4" are just Figure 1 with the Conclusion ordering reversed. While this may have some importance in other ways, I can see that the end result likely has no relevancy for Hegel's investigation of the logic.

External Links

Syllogism on The Logic Museum

Syllogism on Wikipedia