Lewis Carroll was a devotee of logic games that explored the boundaries of sense and nonsense. This year's series of Daily Trojan ads features four of his well-known soriteses, which are polysyllogisms, or sequences of syllogisms that provide premises for unexpected conclusions. Depending on the premises, more than one conclusion is often possible.
Polysyllogism the Third
I trust every animal that belongs to me.
Dogs gnaw bones.
I admit no animals into my study, unless they will beg when told to do so.
All the animals in the yard are mine.
I admit every animal, that I trust, into my study.
The only animals, that are really willing to beg when told to do so, are dogs.
One answer: All the animals in the yard gnaw bones.
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