It is common to represent the various syllogistic forms by symbols, the same symbols always standing for the same terms. In this treatment we shall let capital G stand for the major term, as “major” means _greater_; capital S for the minor term, as “minor” means _smaller_, and capital M for the middle term. G, S and M, the initial letters of greater (major), smaller (minor) and middle, will be the constant symbols for these terms; just as A, E, I and O are used as the constant symbols for the four logical propositions. _Illustration._ Syllogism written in full: All men are mortal, Socrates is a man, ―――――――――――――――――― (Therefore) Socrates is mortal. Syllogism symbolized: All M is G S is M ―――――― ∴ S is G _The major term is always the predicate and the minor term the subject of the conclusion._ The conclusion of the foregoing syllogism is, “Socrates is mortal.” Since G stands for the predicate of every conclusion, then it stands for “_mortal_,” the predicate of the above conclusion. For a similar reason, S stands for the subject, namely, “_Socrates_”; while M represents the middle term, “_man_.” Since every syllogism must have three propositions, and since it takes two terms to form a proposition, then it follows that every syllogism must contain _six terms_. But, as no syllogism can have _more_ than three _different_ terms, we conclude that each term of the syllogism must be used _twice_. In the foregoing example, G thus appears, not only in the last proposition, or conclusion, but in the first proposition also. Similarly, both S and M occur twice. Every logical syllogism, then, contains first, _a major term_, which is always the _predicate_ of the conclusion and appears _once_ in the premises; second, a _minor term_, which is always the _subject_ of the conclusion and appears _once_ in the premises; and third, a _middle term_ to which the other two terms are referred. There are two ways of locating the middle term; first, it is the term which is used in _both_ the premises; second, it is the term which _never appears in the conclusion_. Likewise, there are two ways of locating the major and minor terms; first, the major term is always the _predicate_ and the minor term the _subject_ of the conclusion; second, the major term is usually the _broader_ and the minor term the _narrower_ of the two. If the major and minor terms seem to be of about the same extension or breadth, then the term in the first proposition, which is not the middle term, is the major. In the attending syllogisms the three terms are designated: (middle) (major) | | (1) All true teachers are sympathetic, (minor) (middle) | | You are a true teacher, (minor) (major) | | ∴ You are sympathetic.