Absence of syllogism

In our daily conversations, we always hear the term logic as either correctly used or totally absent. From such extreme opposite positions of correctness or absence of logic, we understand that logic is the proper or reasonable way of thinking about something. Logic is sound reasoning.

Let me proceed from that simple conceptualization by drawing something from the academe. I remember a profound teacher in my Bachelor of Arts days. He taught the subject called Logic. That teacher labored so much in order for us, his students, to be able to speak logically. Even if I was almost totally disinterested in the subject, his way of teaching had an impact on me. For example, he drew a graph on this thing called syllogism which I have very little knowledge of. What strike most in my blurred memory are major premise or general statement, minor premise or specific statement and from which a conclusion is deducted.

When I read a declaration written in Tagalog and attributed to Senator Christopher “Bong” Go that should America enter the controversy over the illegal occupation by Communist China of the Julian Felipe Reef, Red China would bomb the Philippines, I remembered my Logic teacher. I could not believe that statement to have come from an honorable member of our Senate! Cristuto Donan, a funny classmate in that Logic class, spoke in a more logical manner. The very way the senator expressed himself was a complete defiance of syllogism. There was no major premise and the supposed minor premise had no relevance to the general statement and so the conclusion was a faulty deduction.

Why would a senator rush to making illogical statements as to appear to be somewhat intellectually bankrupt? The topic of the illegal occupation by Communist China of some Islands located in the West Philippine Sea, is plain and simple to ordinary citizens like me. Red China is an intruder. It relies upon its military might to become a usurper of the territory of other states. If this is a fact known to ordinary mortals, it must not be unknown to high government officials like a senator of the republic.

Unfortunately, the lawmaker happens to be a lap dog of the president. For all intents and purposes, Senator Go is a shadow of President Duterte. We all have noticed that in all functions of the president, whether official or private, the legislator hangs to his coat. In his desire to remain within the president’s graces, Go cannot (and as yet, will not) say anything against the stand of the president. Since President Duterte is friendly to Communist China and for which reason he has remained totally silent on this Chinese invasion, Senator Go cannot open his mouth to denounce the illegal Chinese occupation of some Islands within the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

The issues of territorial integrity and sovereignty, however, must be tackled by high political leaders and Sen. Go, if only to appear also concerned, has to speak his mind. Our integrity demands that the senator should not remain silent. He has to make a stand. But, he cannot speak the truth without his canine devotion to the president being placed in doubt. To show his loyalty to the Chief Executive, he had to corrupt his stand. The result is his breach of syllogism.