Prosleptic syllogism


Prosleptic syllogisms are a class of syllogisms that use a prosleptic proposition as one of the premises.
The term originated with Theophrastus.

Figures

Prosleptic syllogisms are classified in three figures, or potential arrangements of the terms according to the figure of the prosleptic proposition used.
  • First figure: "A is universally predicated of everything that is universally predicated of G"
  • Second figure: "Everything predicated universally of A is predicated universally of G"
  • Third figure: "A is universally predicated of everything of which G is universally predicated"
Consequently, a third figure prosleptic syllogism would read "A is universally affirmed of everything of which G is universally affirmed; G is universally affirmed of B; therefore, A is universally affirmed of B."