Sorites
Sorites
A chain of (categorical) svllogisms, the conclusion of each forming a premiss of the next — traditionally restricted to a chain of syllogisms in the first figure (all of which, with the possible exception of the first and last, must then be syllogisms in Barbara).
In the statement of a sorites all conclusions except the last are suppressed, and in fact the sorites may be thought of as a single valid inference independently of analysis into constituent syllogisms. According to the order in which the premisses are arranged, the sorites is called progressive (if in the analsis into syllogisms each new premiss after the first is a major premiss, and each intermediate conclusion serves as a minor premiss for the next syllogism) or regressive or Goclenian (if each new premiss after “the first is a “minor premiss, and each intermediate conclusion a major premiss). — A.C.