Socratic Logic - Reasoning

Sorites  - Chain Syllogisms

The following are the notes I have taken from Peter Kreeft's wonderful Socratic Logic textbook. I highly recommend you buy it. This is a book which deals with classical logic (as opposed to modern symbolic logic.) It is easily the best overall book on logic I have ever read and one of the few I have that are worth making notes from. I even have a small duotang with these notes in it I can carry around and reference on a regular basis.

In regular conversations syllogisms are often combined to make longer arguments.  Sorites are poly-syllogisms (multple or chain syllogisms), they are two or more syllogisms linked together in direct series.

eg.   From St. Paul, Romans 5: 3 - 5

All who suffer, persevere.

All who persevere, develop character.

All who develop character, have hope.

All who hope will not be disappointed.

(Unstated conclusion, implied in text: Therefore, all who suffer, will not be disappointed.)

Epicheiremas - Multiple Syllogisms

Not a simple syllogism, add one or more propositions, sometimes in the form of enthymemes.