a major premise

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a major premise" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in discussions about logic, reasoning, or argumentation, particularly in the context of syllogisms or formal arguments. Example: "In a syllogism, the major premise sets the foundation for the conclusion drawn from the minor premise."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

Dave Anderson conveniently ignores a major premise of the Billie Jean King-Bobby Riggs tennis match ("It's Time for a Battle of the Sexes in Golf," July 20).

The New York Times - Sports

A major premise of Hay House wisdom is that it can be gleaned by anyone with the time and desire to connect to other levels of reality.

The New York Times - Magazine

For you Europeans, the August vacation isn't a privilege but a secular-humanist right, a major premise for a civilised and dignified life.

The Guardian - Opinion

If you've been following the field of synthetic biology, you'll know that a major premise is the creation of abstraction layers for biological engineering.

MIT Technology Review

Seminole Rock deference also contradicts a major premise of our constitutional scheme and of contemporary separation of powers case law — that a fusion of lawmaking and law-exposition is especially dangerous to our liberties.

Harvard University

The result does not prove the superiority of liability rules over property rules, but it does undermine a major premise that has been used to support the claim that IP rights must be protected by property rules.

University of California, Berkeley

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

For example, "Virtue is a good thing" is true, but if the reason, "Because it brings us wealth," be added, we shall have an instance of a true major premise and a false reason.

University of Chicago

Raffman (1994) and (1996) agree with Kamp that the mathematical induction form has a false major premise, however Raffman retains a standard semantics for the universal quantifier; the conditional sorites is accordingly valid but has some false premise.

SEP

The validity of inferential knowledge was challenged on the ground that all inference requires a universal major premise ("All that possesses smoke possesses fire") whereas there is no means of arriving at a certainty about such a proposition.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In mixed first-figure syllogisms with a major necessity premise and a minor asertoric premise, the non-modalized premise should be simpliciter assertoric, i.e., a necessarily true per se predication.

SEP

In Aristotle's syllogistic, a syllogism relates a pair of premises (the major premise and the minor premise) and a single conclusion.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a major premise", ensure it is clearly defined and understood by your audience, as it forms the basis for subsequent arguments or conclusions.

Common error

Avoid presenting "a major premise" without sufficient justification or evidence. What seems obvious to you may not be to everyone; always provide context or support to ensure clarity and avoid misunderstandings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a major premise" functions as a noun phrase that introduces a foundational statement or assumption in an argument. Ludwig AI shows that is it used in many logical contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a major premise" refers to a fundamental assumption or proposition upon which an argument or line of reasoning is based. As Ludwig AI confirms, the expression is grammatically correct and mostly suitable in formal contexts such as academic writing, scientific discussions, and news reports. When incorporating "a major premise" into your writing, ensure it's clear, well-supported, and appropriate for your target audience. Alternatives like "a core assumption" or "a central tenet" can be considered for slight variations in meaning or emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a core assumption

Replaces 'premise' with 'assumption', focusing on the foundational aspect.

a central tenet

Uses 'tenet' to highlight the importance of the belief or principle.

a fundamental principle

Replaces 'premise' with 'principle' to emphasize a basic rule or truth.

a key presupposition

Emphasizes the underlying assumption that is taken for granted.

a primary hypothesis

Focuses on the proposition that serves as a starting point for investigation.

a main argument

Highlights the central claim or reason in a line of reasoning.

a basic foundation

Focuses on the rudimentary support or base upon which something is built.

a crucial element

Highlights the aspect of being essential or decisive.

a significant assumption

Emphasizes the considerable importance of the assumption.

a starting point

Focuses on the initial basis from which reasoning or an argument proceeds.

FAQs

How is "a major premise" used in logical arguments?

In logical arguments, "a major premise" is a general statement that, along with a minor premise, leads to a conclusion. For example, 'All humans are mortal' can serve as "a major premise".

What are some alternatives to using "a major premise" in writing?

You can use alternatives like "a core assumption", "a central tenet", or "a fundamental principle" depending on the context and the specific aspect you want to emphasize. See also "core assumption".

How do I identify "a major premise" in a given argument?

To identify "a major premise", look for the broad, general statement that sets the stage for the argument's conclusion. It's often a statement that is assumed to be true and requires the minor premise to be connected to the conclusion.

What's the difference between "a major premise" and a minor premise?

"A major premise" is a general statement, while the minor premise is a specific statement related to the major premise. Together, they lead to a logical conclusion.