Definition

1. Noun:
   • The premise of a syllogism that contains the major term: In formal logic, a "major premiss" is the first statement in a categorical syllogism. It is the premise that includes the major term, which is the predicate of the conclusion.

Usage

• The "major premiss" is a foundational concept in Aristotelian logic, used to construct a valid deductive argument. It is always paired with a minor premiss to lead to a conclusion.
• It is used in academic, philosophical, and mathematical contexts when discussing logical structures and argument forms.

Examples

• Noun:
  • In the syllogism "All men are mortal; Socrates is a man; therefore, Socrates is mortal," the statement "All men are mortal" is the major premiss.
  • Identifying the major premiss is the first step in analyzing the validity of a syllogistic argument.

Advanced Usage

• "to serve as the major premiss": to function as the premise containing the conclusion's predicate.
  • The universal affirmative statement "All planets orbit a star" can serve as the major premiss in an astronomical argument.

Variants and Related Words

• Major premise: A more common modern spelling variant of "major premiss." The meaning is identical.
  • Some logic textbooks use the spelling "major premise" instead.
• Premiss (noun): An alternative, chiefly British, spelling for "premise," meaning a statement or proposition from which another is inferred.
• Syllogism (noun): A form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions (premises).
• Major term (noun): The predicate term of the conclusion of a syllogism, which also appears in the major premiss.

Synonyms

• Major premise: The direct synonym with alternative spelling.
• First premise: In the standard order of a syllogism, it is often the first stated premise.

Notes on Meaning

• The term is highly specific to the field of formal logic. It does not have common everyday meanings.
• The concept is integral to understanding classical deductive reasoning, where the "major premiss" establishes a general rule or principle.

Noun

1. the premise of a syllogism that contains the major term (which is the predicate of the conclusion)