A Class Room Logic / Deductive and Inductive, with Special Application to the Science and Art of Teaching

by George Hastings McNair

(1) The minor premise must be affirmative.

(2) The conclusion must be particular.

Problem: To prove that the minor premise must be affirmative.

Data: Given the form of the third figure, which is,

M — G

M — S

S — G

Proof: (1) Suppose the minor premise were negative, then the conclusion would have to be negative, and this would distribute the predicate G.

(2) A distributed predicate would necessitate its being distributed in the major premise.

(3) But G, being the conclusion of the major premise, could be distributed only by a negative proposition.