An introductory text-book of logic - Mellone, Sydney - Rare Books at ...

AND THE ARISTOTELIAN SYLLOGISM. 135
5. The form of the first figure is :
M P,
S M;
. .S P.
The major premise stands first, according to the in
variable custom; P, the predicate of the conclusion,
being the major term, and S, the subject of the con
clusion, the minor.
(1) The mood AA in fig. i. is :
All M is P.
All S is M.
When the distribution or non-distribution of each term
is considered, it is easily seen that the only conclusions
about S, valid by all the rules, are :
(a)
All S is P.
(b) Some S is P.
The second of these is called a
"
weakened conclusion,"
because it infers less than the premises warrant; for
the term S is distributed in its premise and undis
tributed in the conclusion. But this is not technically
a logical fault.
(2) The mood AE in fig.
All M is P,
No S is M,
i. would be :
from which there is no valid conclusion about S ; for
if there were, it must be a negative conclusion, distrib
uting its predicate P, and thus giving an Illicit Major.
(3) The mood AI in fig.
i. is :
All M is P,
Some S is M,
from which the only valid conclusion about S is :
Some S is P.