ABSTRACT
Since Aristotle posited his theory of syllogisms, methods of reasoning have tended to limit themselves to the inference from a presupposed premise to the necessary conclusion. Modern education, which valorises standardised testing with its emphasis on one true, right, or correct answer, tends to employ this cognitive model, ignoring contemporary developments in logic. However Aristotle also made a reference, in his Posterior Analytics, to a different state of mind, nous, or intelligence blended with intuition and insight, although as a possible “path” to such first principles it was dubious.
