Definition of a syllogistic paragraph and its types and examples

The syllogistic paragraph is one of the types of paragraphs, other than deductive paragraph, inductive paragraph, inerative paragraph, mixed paragraph, description paragraph, and also argumentation paragraph. You could say, this paragraph is a paragraph that unique compared to other paragraphs. This is because this paragraph has a special pattern, namely PU + PK = K. In this article, we will discuss specifically the meaning of this paragraph, along with its types and examples. The discussion is as follows!

What is a Syllogism Paragraph?

In simple terms, a syllogistic paragraph is a paragraph that contains elements of a syllogism. A syllogism is a process of drawing conclusions from two statements. A syllogism paragraph is a paragraph that contains a combination of two statements which are concluded by two conclusions. The two statements are usually called premises. In a syllogism, the premise is divided into two, namely the general premise and the special premise. A general premise is a general statement about something. Meanwhile, the special premise is a special statement that is still related to the general premise. These two premises are then concluded as a conclusion.

The presence of these two premises results in the formula for the creation of this paragraph, namely PU + PK = K, where:

PU = General Premise.
PK = Special Premise.
K = Conclusion.

Types of Syllogistic Paragraphs and Examples

According to the id.wikipedia page, syllogisms are divided into five, namely: categorical, alternative, entinem, disjunctive, and hypothetical. These types of syllogisms then form the types of syllogistic paragraphs, where these types of paragraphs consist of:

1. Categorical Syllogism Paragraphs

This paragraph is a syllogistic paragraph where the PK is the subject of K, and the PU acts as the predicate of K. For example:

Pattern:

PU: All animals need to eat.
PK: Cats are animals.
K: Cats need to eat.

Paragraph Format:

All animals need to eat, including a cat. The cat itself is one of the animals in the world. Thus, we can conclude that a cat really needs to eat like other animals.

2. Alternative Syllogism Paragraph

This paragraph is a paragraph whose PU is in the form of sentence options, and the PK selects one of those options. For example:

Pattern:

PU: Rafli is going on vacation to Yogyakarta or Bandung.
PK: Rafli is going on vacation to Bandung.
K: Rafli will not go on vacation to Yogya

Format of the paragraph:

In the next semester break, Rafli is still confused about where to go on vacation. He still can't choose whether he will go on vacation to Yogyakarta or vacation in Bandung. In fact, Rafli was determined to go on vacation to Yogyakarta because he had never been there. However, for whatever reason, he actually decided to go on vacation to Bandung. With the choice of this decision, Rafli's opportunity to vacation in Yogakarta for the first time was lost.

3. Entiment syllogism paragraph

This syllogistic paragraph is a paragraph consisting of PK and K only. Example:

Pattern:

PK: everyone has the right to protect his pride.
K: You have the right to protect your pride.

The paragraph:

Everyone has the right to protect their dignity, especially when threatened. Therefore, you also have the right to protect your self-esteem from any threats that will damage and lower your self-esteem.

4. Disjunctive syllogism paragraph

It is a syllogistic paragraph formed from PK which is a choice, and PU which is a refutation or justification of the choice. Example:

Pattern:

PU: Andri is honest or not
PK: it turns out that Andri is honest
K: he doesn't lie

The paragraph:

We still can't conclude whether Andri's words are honest or not. After we searched, it turned out that what Andri said were honest words. In the end, you believe what he says, and you also believe that he's not lying to us.

5. Hypothetical Syllogism Paragraph

Is a paragraph whose PU contains a conditional statement that begins with wordif. For example:

Pattern:

PU: when the semester break arrives, I will go on vacation to Kuta.
PK: It's semester break now.
K: I went on vacation to Kuta

Paragraph:

Before the semester break arrived, I had intended to go on vacation to Kuta when the semester break arrived. Incidentally, today is the semester break. So, today I'm going on vacation to Kuta.

Thus a discussion of the meaning of a syllogistic paragraph along with its types and examples. May be useful.