1 EAGLETON NOTES: Carrots and Syllogisms

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Wednesday, 28 May 2008

Carrots and Syllogisms

In the UK carrots are new in May. This is May. Therefore the carrots are new.

I am happy when I eat raw new carrots. I am eating raw new carrots (with humous!). Therefore I am happy.

One of the (few) books that I read (and didn't have to read for studying) when I was a young man was Jevons on Logic. Don't ask me why because I don't know. Perhaps logic just fascinated me.

I learned about syllogisms: a form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion; for example, All humans are mortal, the major premise, I am a human, the minor premise, therefore, I am mortal, the conclusion.

My opening paragraph may not be 100% accurate in that some Charlatans sell old carrots in May but it is syllogistic. As is the second paragraph.

Weren't you just dying to know that?

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