ENTHYMEME, in formal logic, the technical name of a syl logistic argument which is incompletely stated. Any one of thf propositions may be omitted, but in general it is that one which i most obvious or most naturally present to the mind. In point of fact the full formal statement of a syllogism is rare, especially it rhetorical language, when the deliberate omission of one of th( propositions has a dramatic effect. Thus the suppression of thy conclusion may have the effect of emphasizing the idea whicl necessarily follows from the premises. Far commoner is the omis Sion of one of the premises which is either too clear to need state ment or is such that its omission is desirable. This use of the wort differs from Aristotle's original application of it to a syllogisrr based on probabilities or signs (i EIKOTWV 11 Qflµ€iwv); i.e., or propositions which are generally valid (€1KOTa) or on particula: facts which may be held to justify a general principle or another particular fact (Anal. prior (3 xxvii. 7o a ro).
See text-books on logic ; Sir W. Hamilton's Discussions; Mansel's ed of Aldrich, Appendix F ; H. W. B. Joseph, Introd. to Logic; A. Wolf Essentials of Logic (1926) .