modus ponens

From Latin modus ponendo ponens (roughly, “mode where affirming affirms”).

modus ponens (uncountable)

1. (philosophy, logic) A valid form of argument in which the antecedent of a conditional proposition is affirmed, thereby entailing the affirmation of the consequent. Modus ponens has the form:

   1. If P, then Q.

   2. P.

   3. Therefore, Q.

• inference rule
• See also Thesaurus:argument form

• modus tollens