Given any mood in one of the imperfect figures (II, III and IV) how
to alter the form of the premisses so as to arrive at the same
conclusion in the perfect figure, or at one from which it can be
immediately inferred. The alteration of the premisses is effected by
means of immediate inference and, where necessary, of transposition.
§ 670. The problem of indirect reduction, or reductio (per
deductionem) ad impossibile, is this--Given any mood in one of the
imperfect figures, to show by means of a syllogism in the perfect
figure that its conclusion cannot be false.
§ 671. The object of reduction is to extend the sanction of the Dictum
de Omni et Nullo to the imperfect figures, which do not obviously
conform to it.
§ 672. The mood required to be reduced is called the Reducend; that to
which it conforms, when reduced, is called the Reduct.
_Direct or Ostensive Reduction._
§ 673. In the ordinary form of direct reduction, the only kind of
immediate inference employed is conversion, either simple or by
limitation; but the aid of permutation and of conversion by negation
and by contraposition may also be resorted to.
§ 674. There are two moods, Baroko and Bokardo, which cannot be
reduced ostensively except by the employment of some of the means last
mentioned. Accordingly, before the introduction of permutation into
the scheme of logic, it was necessary to have recourse to some other
expedient, in order to demonstrate the validity of these two
moods. Indirect reduction was therefore devised with a special view to
the requirements of Baroko and Bokardo: but the method, as will be
seen, is equally applicable to all the moods of the imperfect figures.
§ 675. The mnemonic lines, 'Barbara, Celarent, etc., provide complete
directions for the ostensive reduction of all the moods of the second,
third, and fourth figures to the first, with the exception of Baroko
and Bokardo. The application of them is a mere mechanical trick, which
will best be learned by seeing the process performed.
§ 676. Let it be understood that the initial consonant of each name of
a figured mood indicates that the reduct will be that mood which
begins with the same letter. Thus the B of Bramantip indicates that
Bramantip, when reduced, will become Barbara.
§ 677. Where m appears in the name of a reducend, me shall have to
take as major that premiss which before was minor, and vice versa-in
other words, to transpose the premisses, m stands for mutatio or
metathesis.
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