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

by George Hastings McNair

A sorites is a series of syllogisms in which all of the conclusions are omitted except the last one.

Just as the epicheirema is a combination of enthymemes of the first and second orders, so the sorites is a combination of enthymemes of the third order. If each conclusion were written, the sorites would take the form of prosyllogisms and episyllogisms. Two forms of the sorites are recognized by logicians. These are the progressive or Aristotelian, and the regressive or Goclenian.

Illustrations.

Progressive

Symbolized.   Put in Word Form.

All A is B   Thomas Arnold was a teacher,

All B is C   A teacher is a man,

All C is D   A man is a biped,

All D is E   A biped is an animal,

Hence all A is E   Hence Thomas Arnold was an animal.