The arte of logick Plainely taught in the English tongue, according to the best approued authors. Very necessary for all students in any profession, how to defend any argument against all subtill sophisters, and cauelling schismatikes, and how to confute their false syllogismes, and captious arguments. By M. Blundevile.

CHAP. IIII.

Of the fiue Markes and Endes of Sophistrie.

ARistotle saith, that the fraudulent disputation of the Sophister, tendeth alwayes to one of these fiue Ends or Markes; that is, either by force of argument, to bring you into some absurditie, which he calleth Elench; that is to say, a repre∣hension or reproofe, or else to make you to confesse that which is manifestly false, or to grant some Pa∣radox, which is asmuch to say as an opinion contrary to all mens opinions: or to allow of incongrue speach contrarie to the rules of Grammar, called in Latine, Solecismus, or to ad∣mit some vaine repetition, called in Latine Nugatio.

Giue example of all these fiue Markes.

Of the first Marke, let this be your example: If in disputing of Vertue, you haue perhaps granted, that the meditation of Vertue doth make a man sad, the Sophister will force you by argument, to denie againe that which you before granted, thus: all things that bee contrarie, har•…•… contrary effects: but it is proper to vice to make the minde of man sad: Ergo, Vertue maketh his minde glad: This kinde of reasoning is more plainely taught before, when wee talked of Reduction by impossibilitie.

Of the second Marke let this be your example: Euery dog hath power to barke; but there is a certaine Starre called the Dog: Ergo, that starre hath power to barke. The Fallax of this argument consisteth onely in the word Dogge, which is equi∣uoke, as shall bee declared more at large hereafter, when wee come to speake of that Elench or Fallax.

Of the Paradox, which is the third Marke, let this be your example: the Sophister will make you to grant, that a rich and happie King is wretched, by force of argument, thus: Whosoeuer is subiect to sin, is wretched: but all rich and hap∣py Kings are subiect to sinne: Ergo, all rich and happy Kings

are wretched and miserable: in this is also a Fallax, because that happinesse is spoken heere in two respects, for there is worldly happinesse, and heauenly happinesse.

Of the fourth marke called incongruitie of speech, I can hardly giue you any fit example in our natiue tongue, because that our English Adiectiues doe not differ in Case, Gender, and Number, and therefore I pray you content your selfe with this Latine example, for it is an easier matter for an English∣man to speake false Latine, then false English: the Sophister will make you to allow of this false Latine, mulier est candi∣dus, by force of argument thus: Omnis homo est candidus, at mu∣lier est homo, ergo mulier est candidus; the English whereof is thus: Euery man is white, but woman is man: Ergo, a wo∣man is white: heere this word white in the Latine is of the Masculine gender, contrarie to the rules of Grammar, but this may be very wel referred to the Fallax, called forme of speech, hereafter declared.

Of the fift marke called Nugation, let this be your exam∣ple: the Sophister will make you to allow of this vaine repe∣tition: Plato is learned, a man learned, by force of argument thus: Plato is learned, but Plato is a man learned: Ergo, Plato is learned; a man learned: heere the premisses and the conclu∣sion are all one thing, and therefore contrarie to the rules of Logick. But leauing these things as superfluous, and in my iudgement seruing to small purpose, if I may so say without offence, I minde therefore now to returne to my matter first intended.