Belief

[Lethe]

I don't think I've ever encountered a syllogism that stood up to scrutiny, there much more fun to tear apart then they are to create.

Even the Wikipedia example:

Major premise: All men are mortal.
Minor premise: Socrates is a man.
Conclusion: Socrates is mortal.

Liar! Socrates is not alive, nor was his life/death proven without a shadow of a doubt. And mortality is really only proven with death.

Edited:

Major premise: All (living) men are (presumably) mortal.
Minor premise: Socrates (was) a man.
Conclusion: Socrates (was) (presumably) mortal.

His body was never found, his writings came from his students... how can we know with complete certainty he existed as a man and/or a mortal?

Edited again:

Major premise: All (living) men are (presumably) mortal.
Minor premise: (If) Socrates (was) a man.
Conclusion: Socrates (was) (presumably) mortal.

Herm, your qualifiers make it difficult to argue your point... well done. Though if I thought long and hard enough I could probably take it further.