Prämisse

Prämisse is a term used in logic, argumentation and storytelling to denote a proposition assumed to be true and used as the basis for reasoning or action. In a formal argument, the premises support the conclusion; if the premises are true and the reasoning is valid, the conclusion follows. Premises may be explicit in a text or argued as implicit assumptions that underlie the reasoning.

The term derives from the French prémisse or Latin praemissa; in German usage it is spelled Prämisse with umlaut. The English variant is premise or premiss.

In formal logic, a sequence of premises leads to a conclusion; syllogisms use major and minor premises. Validity concerns whether the conclusion logically follows from the premises; soundness requires both validity and true premises. Premises can be axioms, postulates, definitions or observed facts; they can be contingent or necessary.

In scientific or empirical arguments, premises function as starting points that may be subject to testing and revision. A faulty premise can undermine the argument even if the logical form is correct.

In narrative contexts, a premise describes the central idea or setup of a work—not necessarily its plot but the world or conditions it takes for granted. For example, a science fiction premise may posit a world with faster-than-light travel.

See also: Syllogism, Inference, Assumption, Hypothesis, Premise (in philosophy).