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MajorIronMouse30
5.1 2. Standard-Form Categorical Syllogisms In order to employ the…
5.1
2. Standard-Form Categorical Syllogisms
In order to employ the conventional techniques for properly identifying and analyzing categorical syllogisms, you must first make sure that the syllogism is a standard-form categorical syllogism. To be in standard form, a categorical syllogism must meet all of the following four conditions:
1. All three of the statements in the syllogism must be standard-form categorical propositions.
2. The two occurrences of each term in the syllogism must be identical.
3. Each term in the syllogism must be used in the same sense throughout the argument.
4. The major premise must be listed first, the minor premise second, and the conclusion last.
The first condition requires that each statement have a proper quantifier, subject term, copula, and predicate term. The second condition requires that terms are expressed in the same words throughout the argument, and that alternative wording is not used to express the same meaning. The third condition rules out the possibility of equivocation. And finally, the fourth condition simply specifies a standard order for listing a syllogism’s statements.
When conditions 1, 2, and 4 are violated, corrections to the argument usually can be made so that it is easily rewritten in standard form. For example, if condition 2 is violated, you simply choose one wording for each term, then use that wording consistently throughout the argument. However, when condition 3 is violated, the argument cannot be rewritten in standard form because when a term takes on a different sense within an argument, it actually represents a different term. In other words, when an argument violates condition 3, it in fact contains more than three terms and, consequently, it is not a categorical syllogism at all (because, by definition, categorical syllogisms employ exactly three terms).
Each of the following arguments fails to meet one of the conditions required for standard-form categorical syllogisms. Inspect each argument and determine which of the four conditions is violated. Then determine which (if any) of the proposed reconstructions would succeed in putting the original argument into standard form.
Given Argument 1
All cogent arguments are strong arguments. All weak arguments are not strong arguments. Therefore, all weak arguments are not cogent arguments.
Proposed Reconstructions of Given Argument 1
Syllogism A:
All cogent arguments are strong arguments.
No weak arguments are strong arguments.
Therefore, no weak arguments are cogent arguments.
Syllogism B:
No weak arguments are cogent arguments.
Because, no weak arguments are strong arguments.
And, all cogent arguments are strong arguments.
Syllogism C:
No weak arguments are strong arguments.
Therefore, no weak arguments are cogent arguments.
Because, all cogent arguments are strong arguments.
Which of the following best describes the reason that Given Argument 1 fails to be in standard form?
The premises in this argument are not listed in the order required for standard form.
The two occurrences of each term in this argument are not identical.
The statements in this argument are not standard-form categorical propositions.
The terms in this argument are not used in the same sense throughout the argument.
Which of the proposed reconstructions of Given Argument 1 is a standard-form categorical syllogism?
Syllogism A
Syllogism B
None of these
Syllogism C
Given Argument 2
Some mammals are young goats. All mammals are warm-blooded creatures. Therefore, some warm-blooded creatures are kids.
Proposed Reconstructions of Given Argument 2
Syllogism A:
Some mammals are young goats.
All mammals are warm-blooded creatures.
Therefore, some warm-blooded creatures are young goats.
Syllogism B:
Some warm-blooded creatures are young goats.
Because, some mammals are young goats.
And, all mammals are warm-blooded creatures.
Syllogism C:
All mammals are warm-blooded creatures.
Therefore, some warm-blooded creatures are young goats.
Because, some mammals are young goats.
Which of the following best describes the reason that Given Argument 2 fails to be in standard form?
The statements in this argument are not standard-form categorical propositions.
The premises in this argument are not listed in the order required for standard form.
The terms in this argument are not used in the same sense throughout the argument.
The two occurrences of each term in this argument are not identical.
Which of the proposed reconstructions of Given Argument 2 is a standard-form categorical syllogism?
None of these
Syllogism C
Syllogism B
Syllogism A
Given Argument 3
All lizards are reptiles. No reptiles are warm-blooded creatures. Therefore, no lizards are warm-blooded creatures.
Proposed Reconstructions of Given Argument 3
Syllogism A:
All lizards are reptiles.
Therefore, no lizards are warm-blooded creatures.
Because, no reptiles are warm-blooded creatures.
Syllogism B:
No lizards are warm-blooded creatures.
Because, all lizards are reptiles.
And, no reptiles are warm-blooded creatures.
Syllogism C:
No reptiles are warm-blooded creatures.
All lizards are reptiles.
Therefore, no lizards are warm-blooded creatures.
Which of the following best describes the reason that Given Argument 3 fails to be in standard form?
The premises in this argument are not listed in the order required for standard form.
The terms in this argument are not used in the same sense throughout the argument.
The statements in this argument are not standard-form categorical propositions.
The two occurrences of each term in this argument are not identical.
Which of the proposed reconstructions of Given Argument 3 is a standard-form categorical syllogism?
None of these
Syllogism B
Syllogism A
Syllogism C
