What is epichereme?

Definition of Epichereme:

An epichereme is an argument that combines a syllogism with evidence or reasoning to support the syllogism's conclusion.

- An epichereme is a rhetorical argumentation technique involving a combination of a syllogism, inductive evidence, or enthymemes to support the argument's conclusion.

- It includes premises and a conclusion but the premises are presented with explicit supporting material which is referred to as evidence.

- The evidence serves to demonstrate how the premises follow from the conclusion.

Structure:

An epichereme consists of two main components:

- The syllogism: A deductive argument consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.

- The evidence or reasoning: Explanation and additional information offered to strengthen or support the conclusion.

Example:

Example 1:

- Major Premise: Water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

- Minor Premise: Hydrogen and oxygen are colorless and odorless gases.

- Conclusion: Water is also colorless and odorless.

- Evidence or Reasoning: The colorless and odorless nature of hydrogen and oxygen explains why water, which is composed of these two elements, also lacks color and odor.

Example 2:

- Major Premise: Hardworking individuals usually achieve success in life.

- Minor Premise: Tom has been working hard throughout his academic and professional career.

- Conclusion: Tom will likely be successful in life.

- Evidence or Reasoning: Several cases in our society demonstrate the correlation between hard work and success. Many individuals have achieved significant accomplishments by dedicating themselves to their pursuits, just like Tom.

In both examples, the evidence provides additional information that strengthens the conclusion drawn from the syllogism, thus strengthening the overall argument.