LOGIC 295 



positions is called a premiss, while the third, which results 

 from them, is the conclusion. 



Such an arrangement of propositions is termed a 

 syllogism, and its three terms have distinct names. 



(1) The term which is the predicate of the conclusion 

 is called the major term (A). 



(2) That which is the subject of the conclusion is named 

 the minor term (B). 



(3) The third term is called the " middle term," because 

 it is present in each premiss, but not in the conclusion. 



The three propositions also have each a distinct 

 name. 



(1) One is named the major premiss, because it con- 

 tains the major term. 



(2) Another is the minor premiss, because it contains 

 the minor term. 



(3) The third is (as above said) called the conclusion, 

 and it declares the relation of the major and minor 

 terms to each other. 



Thus in the syllogism : 



All men are mortal. 

 Socrates is a man. 

 Therefore Socrates is mortal. 



" Mortal " is the major term because it is the predicate 

 of the conclusion (i.e., is asserted of the other term in 

 the conclusion), and therefore the first proposition is the 

 major premiss. 



Similarly the second proposition is the minor premiss, 

 because it contains the minor term " Socrates," which 

 is the minor because it is the subject of the conclusion 

 i.e., is the term of which the predicate " mortal" is 

 asserted. 



