5: Recognizing Arguments Flashcards
1
Q
What is a set (or class)?
A
- a collection of “individuals” having a certain trait, property, or attribute.
2
Q
What does it mean to have consistent statements?
A
- the logical relation between a set of statements that may all be true at the same time
- “Is it possible for each statement in the set to be true at the same time?”
- Water is H2O.
- Water is not H2O.
- inconsistent set of statements
3
Q
What makes some sets arguments and others nonarguments? (conceptual analysis):
A
A set of statements is an argument if and only if
- there are two or more statements in the set, and
- at least one statement is offered as evidence for the truth of another
4
Q
What are the two conditions of arguments?
A
- every argument consists of exactly two subsets of statements:
- evidence (premises)
- claim (conclusion)
- every attempt to show that a claim is true on the basis of its evidence is an attempt to show that the truth of the claim follows from the truth of its evidence.
- deduction or inference
5
Q
What does it mean to have deductive statements?
A
- the logical relation between statements occurring whenever one statement is concluded to be true on the basis of another
6
Q
What are conclusion indicators?
A
- certain words and phrases that reliably (but not always) indicate the presence of an argument’s conclusion
7
Q
What are some conclusion indicators?
A
8
Q
What are premise indicators?
A
- certain words and phrases that reliably (but not always) indicate the presence of a premise
9
Q
What are some premise indicators?
A
10
Q
What is a standard form (for arguments)?
A
- a list of statements separated by a line. The numbered statements above the line are always the premises.
- The conclusion will always be the single statement written below the line to the right of the symbol ‘∴‘ (which is read “therefore”)
11
Q
What is to read actively?
A
- physically marking up a passage while you are reading it in order to reveal the logical structure of the argument it asserts
- identify conclusion indicator and conclusion
- identify premise indicators and premises, and number them.
- Write the argument in standard form.
12
Q
Useful generalizations of arguments
A
- An argument has exactly one conclusion and it may occur anywhere within a passage.
- Every argument can be expressed in the form of a single conditional declarative sentence.
- A statement is a premise or a conclusion only in relation to other statements within a particular argument.
- Every premise is an (explicit or implicit) assumption.
- Some conclusions are implied rather than stated explicitly.
- Not every statement in a passage needs to be either a premise or the conclusion.
- A passage may contain more than one argument.
13
Q
What is an assumption?
A
- a statement whose truth is presupposed but not shown
- explicit assumption= an assumption that is “out in the open” for everyone too see or to hear
- implicit assumption= something “hidden” behind what is written or said.
14
Q
What is a presupposition?
A
- an implicit assumption
- No one can reasonably make an assertion without implicitly assuming (presupposing) certain basic things about the world.
- No one can reasonably ask a question without implicitly assuming (presupposing) certain things about the world and the individual being asked the question (command or request).
- sometimes the ability to correctly evaluate an argument relies upon your ability to recognize its implicit presuppositions.
15
Q
What is an implied premise?
A
- that single implicit assumption that mediates between what is assumed explicitly and what is claimed to follow from it; any implicit assumption (presumption) in an argument
