syllogism

Not everyone is unclear on the basics of syllogism, happily.

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.