disamis

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The mnemonic name given by Petrus Hispanus to that mood of the third figure of syllogism of which the major premise is a particular affirmative and the minor premise a universal affirmative proposition. The following is an example: Some acts of homicide are laudable, but all acts of homicide are cruel; therefore, some cruel acts are laudable. The vowels of the word, i, a, i, show the quantity and quality of the propositions; the initial letter, d, shows that the mood is to be reduced to darii; the two s's show that the major premise and conclusion are to be simply converted in the reduction; and the letter m shows that the premises are to be transposed. Thus every letter of the word is significant. See barbara.