In Aristotelian logic, baroco is a

mnemonic A mnemonic ( ) device, or memory device, is any learning technique that aids information retention or retrieval (remembering) in the human memory for better understanding. Mnemonics make use of elaborative encoding, retrieval cues, and imag ...

word used to memorize a

syllogism A syllogism ( grc-gre, συλλογισμός, ''syllogismos'', 'conclusion, inference') is a kind of logical argument that applies deductive reasoning to arrive at a conclusion based on two propositions that are asserted or assumed to be true. ...

. Specifically, it has the first

proposition In logic and linguistics, a proposition is the meaning of a declarative sentence. In philosophy, " meaning" is understood to be a non-linguistic entity which is shared by all sentences with the same meaning. Equivalently, a proposition is the no ...

universal and affirmative, but the second and third particular and negative, and the middle term the attribute in the two first. For example, :Every virtue is attended with discretion. :Some kinds of zeal are not attended with discretion. :Therefore, some kinds of zeal are not virtues. In the terminology of Aristotelian logic, a Baroco is one of the four syllogisms of the second figure of the nineteen modes (or one of the six syllogisms of the second figure of the twenty-four modes if the weakened modes are included). It includes: a relation to a syllogism (Barbara) of the first figure of type B; major premise of type A; a minor premise of type O; the minor premise of the second figure (minor term/copula/middle term) of type C; a conclusion of type O; that is to say a universal major affirmative, a particular minor negative, and a particular negative conclusion. A modern example of a Baroco syllogism is: #All saucers can be used as frisbees: #Some metal objects cannot be used as frisbees: #Therefore, some metal objects are not saucers.

Baroco and Baroque

In the 16th century the term Baroco moved beyond philosophy and began to be used to describe anything that was overly and absurdly complex. The French philosopher

Michel de Montaigne Michel Eyquem, Sieur de Montaigne ( ; ; 28 February 1533 – 13 September 1592), also known as the Lord of Montaigne, was one of the most significant philosophers of the French Renaissance. He is known for popularizing the essay as a liter ...

associated the term 'baroco' with "Bizarre and uselessly complicated." Other early sources associated the term with magic, complexity, confusion, and excess. In the 18th century, the term was sometimes also used to describe music, and was not flattering. In an anonymous satirical review of the première of

Jean-Philippe Rameau Jean-Philippe Rameau (; – ) was a French composer and music theory, music theorist. Regarded as one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the 18th century, he replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of Fr ...

's ''

Hippolyte et Aricie ('' Hippolytus and Aricia'') was the first opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau. It was premiered to great controversy by the Académie Royale de Musique at its theatre in the Palais-Royal in Paris on October 1, 1733. The French libretto, by Abbé S ...

'' in October 1733, which was printed in the ''

Mercure de France The was originally a French gazette and literary magazine first published in the 17th century, but after several incarnations has evolved as a publisher, and is now part of the Éditions Gallimard publishing group. The gazette was published f ...

'' in May 1734, the critic wrote that the novelty in this opera was "du barocque", complaining that the music lacked coherent melody, was unsparing with dissonances, constantly changed key and meter, and speedily ran through every compositional device. In 1762, ''Le Dictionnaire de l'Académie française'' wrote that the term could be used figuratively to describe something "irregular, bizarre or unequal.""se dit aussi au figuré, pour irrégulier, bizarre, inégale.
Le Dictionnaire de l'Académie française (1762)
/ref>

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...

, who was a musician and composer as well as philosopher, wrote in 1768 in the ''

Encyclopédie ''Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers'' (English: ''Encyclopedia, or a Systematic Dictionary of the Sciences, Arts, and Crafts''), better known as ''Encyclopédie'', was a general encyclopedia publis ...

'': "Baroque music is that in which the harmony is confused, and loaded with modulations and dissonances. The singing is harsh and unnatural, the intonation difficult, and the movement limited. It appears that term comes from the word 'baroco' used by logicians."''Encyclopedie''; ''Lettre sur la Musique Francaise'' under the direction of

Denis Diderot Denis Diderot (; ; 5 October 171331 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the ''Encyclopédie'' along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. He was a promine ...

References

{{Reflist Term logic Syllogism Baroque