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Minor and major premise

al-ṣughrā wa-l-kubrā

الصُّغْرَى وَالكُبْرَى

The minor premise (al-ṣughrā) is the one containing the minor term; the major premise (al-kubrā) is the one containing the major term.

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In a picture

The minor premise holds the minor term (“human”, the conclusion's subject); the major premise holds the major term (“mortal”, its predicate).

Explanation

In the Arabic tradition the minor premise is stated first.

Also written as: sughra, kubra, minor premise, major premise.

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.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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