syllogism

In his book "Prior Analytics," Aristotle works out the logic of “the categorical syllogism.”

Mr. Garland seemed stumped but replied: “At a high level of generality, it seems like a syllogism. If it’s unauthorized, it shouldn’t have appropriations.”

“My answer to the question is, Abraham Lincoln wrote a syllogism about slavery,” Crow said, holding up a small, handwritten sheet of paper that’s in a protective sleeve, a word or two crossed out.

The syllogism he implies is comforting: Only idiots are afraid of sharks; you are not an idiot; therefore you are not afraid of sharks.

“Logic and syllogisms don’t carry us very far in the law,” he said.