What does sorites mean?
A sorites is a form of logical argument in which a final conclusion is derived from a series of connected propositions. Each proposition in the chain may serve as a premise for the next, so that the reasoning advances step by step from accepted assumptions to its conclusion. The word comes from ancient logical terminology and is especially associated with formal discussions of syllogistic reasoning. In modern English, it can refer either to the complete argument or to its chain of linked propositions. Because the term suggests careful, sequential deduction, it is sometimes used figuratively when describing an elaborate progression from one point to another. Nevertheless, it remains chiefly a specialist term, and 'chain of reasoning' is usually clearer in ordinary discussion.
nounIn logic, a syllogistic argument in which the conclusion follows from a chain of linked propositions. The term may also refer to the chain of reasoning itself.
- A syllogistic argument or chain of reasoning in which each proposition supports the next and the final conclusion follows from the linked premises.
"Her argument formed a sorites, with each conclusion providing a premise for the next."
"The philosopher tested the sorites by asking whether each premise genuinely supported the next."
"What appeared to be a single conclusion was, on closer inspection, a carefully constructed sorites."
The plural is usually the same as the singular.
"The chapter examines several sorites in classical logic."
A sorites is logic in motion: one conclusion becomes the next premise, carrying an argument step by step toward its final conclusion.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sorites come from?
The word comes from Greek sōrítēs, a form associated with sōrós, meaning 'heap' or 'pile'. Ancient logicians used the term for a syllogism formed from a chain of propositions, with the conclusion drawn from a sequence of linked premises. It passed into Latin and then into English as a specialized term in logic.
Related word forms
How sorites is actually used
This is primarily a formal logic term. It is less common in general speech than 'syllogism' or 'chain of reasoning,' and it usually describes an argument whose propositions are explicitly or implicitly linked.