When once we have found, by Diagrams, the Conclusion to a given Pair of Premisses, and have represented the Syllogism in subscript form, we have a Formula, by which we can at once find, without having to use Diagrams again, the Conclusion to any other Pair of Premisses having the same subscript forms.

[Thus, the expression

xm0ym′0xy0

is a Formula, by which we can find the Conclusion to any Pair of Premisses whose subscript forms are

xm0ym′0

For example, suppose we had the Pair of Propositions

“No gluttons are healthy;
No unhealthy men are strong”.

proposed as Premisses. Taking “men” as our ‘Universe’, and making m = healthy; x = gluttons; y = strong; we might translate the Pair into abstract form, thus:—

“No x are m;
No m′ are y”.

These, in subscript form, would be

xm0m′y0

which are identical with those in our Formula. Hence we at once know the Conclusion to be

xy0

that is, in abstract form,

“No x are y”;

that is, in concrete form,

“No gluttons are strong”.]

I shall now take three different forms of Pairs of Premisses, and work out their Conclusions, once for all, by Diagrams; and thus obtain some useful Formulæ. I shall call them “Fig. I”, “Fig. II”, and “Fig. III”.

[pg075]Fig. I.

This includes any Pair of Premisses which are both of them Nullities, and which contain Unlike Eliminands.

The simplest case is

xm0ym′0


∴ xy0

In this case we see that the Conclusion is a Nullity, and that the Retinends have kept their Signs.

And we should find this Rule to hold good with any Pair of Premisses which fulfil the given conditions.

[The Reader had better satisfy himself of this, by working out, on Diagrams, several varieties, such as

m1x0ym′0 (which ¶ xy0)
xm′0m1y0 (which ¶ xy0)
x′m0ym′0 (which ¶ x′y0)
m′1x′0m1y′0 (which ¶ x′y′0).]