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Figure

al-shakl

الشَّكْل

The figure (shakl) of a conjunctive syllogism is set by where the middle term stands in the two premises; there are four.

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In a picture

The four figures, by where the middle term (M) stands in the minor premise (S, M) and the major premise (M, P).

Explanation

First: predicate of the minor, subject of the major. Second: predicate of both. Third: subject of both. Fourth: subject of the minor, predicate of the major.

Each figure has its own conditions of productivity; the first is the most evident.

Also written as: shakl, ashkal, figures of the syllogism.

In the text

وَالْمُكَرَّرُ بَيْنَ مُقَدِّمَتَيِ الْقِيَاسِ يُسَمَّى: حَدًّا أَوْسَطَ، وَمَوْضُوعُ الْمَطْلُوبِ يُسَمَّى: حَدًّا أَصْغَرَ، وَمَحْمُولُهُ يُسَمَّى: حَدًّا أَكْبَرَ؛ وَالْمُقَدِّمَةُ الَّتِي فِيهَا الأَصْغَرُ تُسَمَّى: صُغْرَى، وَالَّتِي فِيهَا الأَكْبَرُ تُسَمَّى: كُبْرَى، وَهَيْئَةُ التَّأْلِيفِ تُسَمَّى: شَكْلًا.What recurs in both premises of the syllogism is called the middle term; the subject of the conclusion sought is called the minor term, and its predicate the major term. The premise containing the minor term is called the minor premise, the one containing the major term the major premise, and the form of their arrangement is called the figure.وَالأَشْكَالُ أَرْبَعَةٌ، لِأَنَّ الْحَدَّ الأَوْسَطَ إِنْ كَانَ مَحْمُولًا فِي الصُّغْرَى مَوْضُوعًا فِي الْكُبْرَى فَهُوَ: الشَّكْلُ الأَوَّلُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مَحْمُولًا فِيهِمَا فَهُوَ: الشَّكْلُ الثَّانِي، وَإِنْ كَانَ مَوْضُوعًا فِيهِمَا فَهُوَ: الشَّكْلُ الثَّالِثُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مَوْضُوعًا فِي الصُّغْرَى مَحْمُولًا فِي الْكُبْرَى فَهُوَ: الشَّكْلُ الرَّابِعُ.The figures are four, because if the middle term is the predicate in the minor premise and the subject in the major, that is the first figure; if it is the predicate in both, the second; if the subject in both, the third; and if the subject in the minor and the predicate in the major, the fourth.وَالثَّانِي يَرْتَدُّ إِلَى الأَوَّلِ بِعَكْسِ الْكُبْرَى، وَالثَّالِثُ يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِ بِعَكْسِ الصُّغْرَى، وَالرَّابِعُ يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِ بِعَكْسِ التَّرْتِيبِ أَوْ بِعَكْسِ الْمُقَدِّمَتَيْنِ جَمِيعًا.The second figure is brought back to the first by converting the major premise, the third by converting the minor, and the fourth by reversing the order of the premises or by converting both.وَالْكَامِلُ الْبَيِّنُ الإِنْتَاجِ هُوَ الأَوَّلُ، وَالرَّابِعُ مِنْهَا بَعِيدٌ عَنِ الطَّبْعِ جِدًّا، وَالَّذِي لَهُ طَبْعٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ وَعَقْلٌ سَلِيمٌ لَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى رَدِّ الثَّانِي إِلَى الأَوَّلِ؛ وَإِنَّمَا يُنْتِجُ الثَّانِي عِنْدَ اخْتِلَافِ مُقَدِّمَتَيْهِ بِالإِيجَابِ وَالسَّلْبِ.The perfect figure, whose conclusion is evident, is the first; the fourth is very far from natural thinking. Someone of sound nature and sound mind does not need to bring the second back to the first. The second produces only when its premises differ in affirmation and negation.وَالشَّكْلُ الأَوَّلُ هُوَ الَّذِي جُعِلَ مِعْيَارَ الْعُلُومِ، فَنُورِدُهُ هُنَا لِيُجْعَلَ دُسْتُورًا، وَيُسْتَنْتَجَ مِنْهُ الْمَطَالِبُ كُلُّهَا.The first figure is the one made the standard of the sciences, so we set it out here as a rule from which every conclusion sought can be drawn.وَضُرُوبُهُ الْمُنْتِجَةُ أَرْبَعَةٌ: الضَّرْبُ الأَوَّلُ: كُلُّ جِسْمٍ مُؤَلَّفٌ، وَكُلُّ مُؤَلَّفٍ حَادِثٌ، فَكُلُّ جِسْمٍ حَادِثٌ. الثَّانِي: كُلُّ جِسْمٍ مُؤَلَّفٌ، وَلَا شَيْءَ مِنَ الْمُؤَلَّفِ بِقَدِيمٍ، فَلَا شَيْءَ مِنَ الْجِسْمِ بِقَدِيمٍ. الثَّالِثُ: بَعْضُ الْجِسْمِ مُؤَلَّفٌ، وَكُلُّ مُؤَلَّفٍ حَادِثٌ، فَبَعْضُ الْجِسْمِ حَادِثٌ. الرَّابِعُ: بَعْضُ الْجِسْمِ مُؤَلَّفٌ، وَلَا شَيْءَ مِنَ الْمُؤَلَّفِ بِقَدِيمٍ، فَبَعْضُ الْجِسْمِ لَيْسَ بِقَدِيمٍ.Its productive moods are four. First: every body is composite, and everything composite came to be, so every body came to be. Second: every body is composite, and nothing composite is eternal, so no body is eternal. Third: some body is composite, and everything composite came to be, so some body came to be. Fourth: some body is composite, and nothing composite is eternal, so some body is not eternal.

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