V A categorical syllogism must only be

composed of three terms (the major, the

minor and the middle term)

V Violation: Fallacy of More than 3 Terms

Fallacy of Less than 3 Terms
Fallacy of Equivocation
V Valid: Some poor people are kind persons.
All kind persons are likable individuals.
Some likable individuals are poor people.

V Invalid: Philosophers are wise.

Scientists are intelligent.
Scientists and philosophers are wise and
intelligent.

*Fallacy of more than 3 terms / fallacy of four terms

V Invalid: Toddlers are highly active individuals.
Highly active individuals are like toddlers.
What could you possibly conclude?

*Fallacy of Less than 3 terms

V Invalid: Vegetables are good for the body

My sick neighbor is already a vegetable.
My sick neighbor is good for the body.

*Fallacy of Equivocation
V o term in the conclusion can have a greater
extension than in the premises.

V (terms which are particular in the premise

cannot be universal in the conclusion)

V Violation: Fallacy of Illicit Minor

Fallacy of Illicit Major
V Valid: All satellites are man-made.
o typhoons are man-made.
o typhoons are satellites.

V Invalid: All Abu Sayaff members are terrorists.

ot all Abu Sayaff members are anti-Christians.
ot all anti- Christians are terrorists.

*fallacy of Illicit major

V Invalid: Scientists are wise people.
Scientists are men.
Men are wise people.

*fallacy of Illicit minor

Plants are organisms. All Iraqi soldiers are Muslims.

Animals are not plants. All Muslims are vegetarians.
Animals are not organisms. All vegetarians are Iraqi soldiers
V The middle term should not be found in the
conclusion.

V Violation: Fallacy of misplaced middle term

V Valid: o lazy person is resourceful.

Some resourceful individuals are students.
Some students are not lazy persons.
V Invalid: All television commercials are made for
public viewing.
Some materials for public viewing are harmful
to children.
therefore, some materials made for public
viewing that are harmful to children are
television commercials.
V The middle term must be distributed
universally, at least once, in the premises.

V Violation: Fallacy of undistributed middle term.

V Valid: All musicians are emotional.
All musicians are artists.
Some artists are emotional.
V Invalid: Monkeys are banana lovers
Filipino American PBA players are bananalovers
Filipino American PBA players are monkeys.

Some scientists are atheists.

Physicists are scientists.
Physicists are atheists.
V Two affirmative premises cannot give a negative
conclusion.

V Violation: Fallacy of negative conclusion

V Invalid: All mammals are animals

All animals are mortal beings
Some mortal beings are not mammals.

All heroes are patriots

Some patriots are martyrs
ot all martyrs are heroes
V o conclusion can be inferred from two
negative premises.

Violation: Fallacy of concluding from 2 negative

premises

Invalid: All students are not old

Some old people are not Filipino citizens
Therefore ?
V o conclusion can be inferred from two
particular premises

V Violation: Fallacy of concluding from two

particular premises.

V Invalid: Some illiterate persons are non-Catholics

Some Filipino senators are non-Catholics
Therefore; Some Filipino senators are
illiterate
V The conclusion must follow the weaker
premise. (negative, particular)

V Violation: Fallacy of not following the weaker

premise

V Invalid: Some lawyers are not judges.

All lawyers are professionals.
Therefore, some professionals are judges.