minor premise

logic

Also known as: second premise

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June 30, 2026

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In logic, a minor premise is one of the premises in a syllogism that contains the minor term. A syllogism is a form of deductive reasoning where a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions (premises).12

For example, in the syllogism:
* Every Greek is human. (Major premise)
* Every human is mortal. (Minor premise)
* Therefore, every Greek is mortal. (Conclusion)

The minor premise is the one that contains the minor term, which is the subject of the conclusion. The study of syllogisms was significantly advanced by Aristotle, who developed a systematic approach to logic using these structured arguments.23

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history of logic
Syllogisms
…it occurs is called the minor premise. This way of describing major and minor terms conforms to Aristotle’s actual practice and was proposed as a definition by the 6th-century Greek commentator John Philoponus. But in one passage Aristotle put it differently: the minor term is said to be “included” in…
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…it occurs is called the minor premise. This way of describing major and minor terms conforms to Aristotle’s actual practice and was proposed as a definition by the 6th-century Greek commentator John Philoponus. But in one passage Aristotle put it differently: the minor term is said to be “included” in…
Read More