Help me define a Philosophical term
December 14, 2005 6:49 AM Subscribe
Need help defining a philosophy/logic term
It starts with 'S' and I think it means that two facts do not lead to the third or the drawn conclusion is wrong.. or something to the effect.. Very vague description, I know.. but this is driving me crazy.
It starts with 'S' and I think it means that two facts do not lead to the third or the drawn conclusion is wrong.. or something to the effect.. Very vague description, I know.. but this is driving me crazy.
Response by poster: Thanks, sexymofo. But it's not non sequitur. It's a single word. And like I said, starts with an 'S'
posted by sk381 at 6:54 AM on December 14, 2005
posted by sk381 at 6:54 AM on December 14, 2005
Spurious relationship? Syllogistic fallacy? Are you sure it starts with "S"? Here is Wikipedia's list of logical fallacies.
posted by Gator at 6:54 AM on December 14, 2005
posted by Gator at 6:54 AM on December 14, 2005
Response by poster: I could be wrong and it might even not be a fallacy! All I can remember is that it involves one or more facts and being led to a conclusion (true or otherwise) based on them. Here is where I heard it: An episode of CSI, where a guy with a pet snakes uses their venom to poison his co-workers. Gil Grissom uses it when he's explaining how he caught the perpertrator.
posted by sk381 at 6:59 AM on December 14, 2005
posted by sk381 at 6:59 AM on December 14, 2005
Best answer: Dude, syllogism.
"A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion; for example, All humans are mortal, the major premise, I am a human, the minor premise, therefore, I am mortal, the conclusion."
Note that syllogisms are a valid way to reason, but not if you mix up the premises & conclusions. Like, to twist the above a little bit, if "all humans are mortal" (major) and "I am mortal" (minor), it doesn't follow that "I am a human."
posted by rkent at 7:02 AM on December 14, 2005
"A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion; for example, All humans are mortal, the major premise, I am a human, the minor premise, therefore, I am mortal, the conclusion."
Note that syllogisms are a valid way to reason, but not if you mix up the premises & conclusions. Like, to twist the above a little bit, if "all humans are mortal" (major) and "I am mortal" (minor), it doesn't follow that "I am a human."
posted by rkent at 7:02 AM on December 14, 2005
Response by poster: and while we are at it, what is the word that one uses to describe the last scene/act of a play or movie where the secret is revealed or the culprit caught? My mind seems to be on a vacation today...
posted by sk381 at 7:07 AM on December 14, 2005
posted by sk381 at 7:07 AM on December 14, 2005
Best answer: Denouement?
The previous "syllogism" link is to a recap of that particular episode of CSI, BTW.
posted by Gator at 7:09 AM on December 14, 2005
The previous "syllogism" link is to a recap of that particular episode of CSI, BTW.
posted by Gator at 7:09 AM on December 14, 2005
Response by poster: Thanks, Gator and rkent. You guys are aweome!!
posted by sk381 at 7:14 AM on December 14, 2005
posted by sk381 at 7:14 AM on December 14, 2005
No fair! You only get 1 question a week, sk381, and you snuck a second one in! :P
posted by antifuse at 7:49 AM on December 14, 2005
posted by antifuse at 7:49 AM on December 14, 2005
You might also be interested in enthymemes, which are truncated syllogisms.
posted by kimota at 9:21 AM on December 14, 2005
posted by kimota at 9:21 AM on December 14, 2005
Response by poster: I know , I know...antifuse.
But waiting for another week would have driven me completely insane. Sorry !!
posted by sk381 at 9:23 AM on December 14, 2005
But waiting for another week would have driven me completely insane. Sorry !!
posted by sk381 at 9:23 AM on December 14, 2005
anyone know why it's a "barbara" syllogism? i only noticed this term (the barbara bit) last week, and it made me jump because that's my mother's name...
posted by andrew cooke at 9:58 AM on December 14, 2005
posted by andrew cooke at 9:58 AM on December 14, 2005
oh, thanks! (that was quick!)
posted by andrew cooke at 10:29 AM on December 14, 2005
posted by andrew cooke at 10:29 AM on December 14, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sexymofo at 6:51 AM on December 14, 2005