Deductive Logic Part 60

The criminal was committed by the magistrate.

.'. The crime was committed by the magistrate.

(17) General councils are as likely to err as the fallible men of whom they consist.

(18) Dead dogs are heavier than living ones, because vitality is buoyant.

(19) Deliberation is concerned with actions.

Actions are means.

.'. Deliberation is concerned with means.

(20) 'No beast so fierce but has a touch of pity; But I have none: therefore I am no beast.'

(21) Practical pursuits are better than theoretical.

.'. Mathematics are better than logic.

(22) Death must be a good. For either the soul, ceasing to be, ceases ta suffer, or, continuing to be, lives in a better state.

(23) What is right should be enforced by law.

.'. Charity should be so enforced.

(24) All animals were in the Ark.

.'. No animals perished in the Flood.

(25) If he robs, he is not honourable.

If he pays all his dues, he does not rob.

.'. If he pays all his dues, he is honourable.

(26) A dove can fly a mile in a minute.

A swallow can fly faster than a dove.

.'. A swallow can fly more than a mile in a minute.

(27) 'I must soap myself, because it's Sunday.'

'Then do you only soap yourself on Sunday.'

(28) If the charge is false, the author of it is either ignorant or malicious. But the charge is true. Therefore he is neither.

(29) All the angles of a triangle are equal to two right angles.

The angle at the vertex is an angle of a triangle.

.'. It is equal to two right angles.

(30) Si gravis sit dolor, brevis est; si longus, levis. Ergo fort.i.ter ferendus.

(31) You are not what I am.

I am a man.

.'. You are not a man.

(32) The extension of the franchise is necessary, for it is imperative that the right of voting should be granted to cla.s.ses who have hitherto not possessed this privilege.

(33) If Hannibal is really victorious, he does not need supplies; while, if he is deluding us, we ought certainly not to encourage him by sending them. Livy, xxiii. 13. -- 5.

(34) Laws must punish, and punishment hurts.

All laws therefore are hurtful.

(35) The sun is an insensible thing.

The Persians wors.h.i.+p the sun.

.'. The Persians wors.h.i.+p an insensible thing.

(36) Some ores are not metals; for they are not fluids, and some metals are not fluids.

(37) All the Grecian soldiers put the Persians to flight.

.'. Every Grecian soldier could rout the Persians.

(38) The resurrection of Jesus Christ is either an isolated fact or else admits of parallel. But if it be an isolated fact, it cannot be rendered probable to one who denies the authority of Christianity; and, if it admit of parallel, it no longer proves what is required. Therefore it is either incapable of being substantiated or else makes nothing for the truth of Christianity.

(39) The resurrection of Christ in the flesh and his ascension into heaven were events either intrinsically incredible in their nature or not. If the former, the prevalent belief in them can only be accounted for by miracles; if the latter, they ought to be believed even without miracles. St. Aug. De Civ. Dei, xxii. 8.

(40) Only contented people are wise. Therefore the tramp contented in his rags is necessarily a wise man.

(41) Four-legged things are brutes.

Tables are four-legged things.

.'. Tables are brutes.

(42) The apparent volcanoes in the moon are not volcanoes; for eruptions are produced by gases only, and there are no gases in the moon.

(43) To read the Scriptures is our duty. Therefore the Captain was wrong in punis.h.i.+ng the helmsman for reading the Bible at the time when the s.h.i.+p struck.

(44) The divine law orders that kings should be honoured.

Louis Quatorze is a king.

.'. The divine law orders that Louis Quatorze should be honoured.

(45) Those who desire the same object are unanimous.

Caesar and Pompey both desire the same object, namely, supreme power.

.'. They are unanimous.

(46) Either the ministers left at home will be ciphers or they will not be ciphers. If they are ciphers, cabinet government, which is equivalent to const.i.tutional government, will receive a rude blow.

If they are not ciphers, the cabinet will be considering matters of the utmost importance in the absence, and the gratuitous absence, of two of its most important members. 'The Standard,' Wed. June 5, 1878.

(47) One patent stove saves half the ordinary amount of fuel. Therefore two would save it all.

(48) One number must win in the lottery.

My ticket is one number.

.'. It must win.

(49) All good shepherds are prepared to lay down their lives for the sheep.

Few in this age are so prepared.

.'. Few in this age are good shepherds.

(50) You cannot define the sun; for a definition must be clearer than the thing defined, and nothing can be clearer than the source of all light.