<Li> If it is raining, then there are clouds in the sky . </Li> <Li> There are no clouds in the sky . </Li> <Li> Thus, it is not raining . </Li> <P> The law of syllogism takes two conditional statements and forms a conclusion by combining the hypothesis of one statement with the conclusion of another . Here is the general form: </P>

In deductive reasoning the questionable premise is termed the premise of deduction