(5) St. Ives, written by Stevenson is interesting.

2. Conclusion: All books written by Stevenson are interesting.

B. Deductive process.

1. Major Premise: All books written by Stevenson are interesting.

2. Minor Premise: The Silverado Squatters was written by Stevenson.

3. Conclusion: Therefore The Silverado Squatters is interesting.

It will be observed that the inductive conclusion forms the first statement, the basis, or what is called in logic, the major premise of the deductive process. By induction we build several specific instances into a conclusion, and from that conclusion we reason down again to one particular instance. This illustration should serve to make plain to the student the relation between induction and deduction and the reason why the two processes are so often combined in an argument.

In logic the deductive form presented above is called a syllogism. It consists of three statements called Major Premise, Minor Premise, and Conclusion. This syllogism occurs in different forms, but we are concerned with only the typical form above presented, because it is to this form that we intend to reduce our own arguments and the arguments of our opponents in order that we may test their validity.

Each statement in a syllogism is composed of two parts, called terms. The names of these terms as well as their proper location in the syllogism are indicated by the following form:

Middle term.Major term.
1. Major Premise:All college menshould study argumentation.
Minor term.Middle term.
2. Minor Premise:Paul Mortonis a college man.
Minor term.Major term.
3. Conclusion:Therefore Paul Mortonshould study argumentation.