V.—ARISTOTLE'S SYLLOGISTIC AND THE FOURTH FIGURE

Abstract

ARISTOTLE often writes A is predicated of B or A belongs to B rather than B is A . And he frequently uses a more concise notation for the categorical proposition: AB means A is predicated of B. AB tells us that A is the predicate and B is the subject, but it tells us nothing about the quantity or quality or modality of the proposition. This is in line with Aristotle's view that predication is basic and that affirmation, particularity, necessity, etc., are simply types of predication. The principal suggestion of this paper is that just as Aristotle represented the single proposition with two letters (e.g., AB), and meant the left to be the predicate term and the right the subject term, so he represented the syllogism with three letters (e.g., ABC), and meant each pair of letters (AB, BC, and AC) to represent a proposition of the usual sort, with the predicate on the left and the subject on the right.' Let us test this suggestion against Aristotle's descriptions of the three figures. In the first figure, we are told, the middle term is in the middle position, the first term (the major) is predicated of the middle, and the middle is predicated of the last term (the minor).2 This might be symbolized as PMS (where P is the major term, M the middle, and S the minor). Thus the major premise PM and the minor premise MS would establish the conclusion PS. His descriptions of the second and third figures also support this interpretation. Of the second figure he says,