What is the term for a logical argument that consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion?

The term for a logical argument that consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion is known as a syllogism. This structure allows for deductive reasoning, where the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises.

In a syllogism, the major premise provides a general statement, the minor premise relates to a specific case, and from these premises, a conclusion is drawn. For example, if the major premise states that all humans are mortal, and the minor premise asserts that Socrates is a human, the conclusion logically follows that Socrates is mortal. This form of reasoning is fundamental in philosophical logic and is often used to illustrate how valid arguments can be structured clearly and logically.

The other terms mentioned refer to different concepts. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation that can be tested, inference involves deriving logical conclusions from given premises or information, and a thesis is a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved.