Arguments In Action

Question 1

What is a Statement?

Answer 1

A sentence that asserts or denies a fact

Question 2

What is a argument?

Answer 2

A collection of statements that are put forth in support of some further statement

Question 3

What is a premise?

Answer 3

A Statement put forward as evidence for a conclusion

Question 4

What is a Conclusion?

Answer 4

The central claim the argument is trying to say

Question 5

What are the 4 types of sentences?

Answer 5

Statements
Exclamations
Commands
Questions

Question 6

What is the difference between statements and arguments?

Answer 6

Statements- Can assert or deny a fact
Arguments- Can prove or refute

Question 7

What are indicator words?

Answer 7

Words/phrases which often appear in a statement and indicate that it is functioning as a premise or as a conclusion

Question 8

What is a deductive argument?

Answer 8

Deductive arguments - when conclusions do not go beyond what is contained in the premises

e.g. All cats have tails. Felix is a cat. Therefore Felix has a tail

Question 9

What is a inductive argument?

Answer 9

Inductive arguments - They are based on limited evidence. Therefore we make have to make a inductive leap to the conclusion.

e.g. Felix is a cat. Felix has a tail. All cats have tails

Question 10

What can we say about deductive arguments?

Answer 10

They can be valid

Conclusions are certain

Doesn’t contain more than the premises

Question 11

What can we say about inductive arguments?

Answer 11

Based on observations/experiences

Can yield false conclusions

Technically invalid and unsound

Conclusion can only be probable

Question 12

How do we evaluate Inductive arguments?

Answer 12

Strength - How much evidence is there

Cogent - Is the premise true and how
strong is the evidence

Question 13

What are the three types of argument diagrams?

Answer 13

Linked, Convergent and Serial

Question 14

Example of a Linked diagram:

Answer 14

2 + 3 + 4
————–
⇩
1

Question 15

Example of a Convergent diagram:

Answer 15

3 2
↘ ↙
1

Question 16

Example of a Serial diagram:

Answer 16

1 + 2
———–
⇩
3 + 4
———–
⇩
5

Question 17

What are 2 things to consider with “Formal Methods”

Answer 17

Form - The underlying structure of the argument, its “shape”

Content - The subject matter of the
argument

Question 18

What are Set Logic Forms?

Answer 18

Statements put forward in a formal system

Variables - Represented as capital letters
(starting A)

Individuals - Represented by lower case
letters (starting from x)

Question 19

Example of a Set Logic Form:

Answer 19

No x are A. All A are B. So No x are B.

Question 20

What is a Linked argument?

Answer 20

Where the premises have to be taken together to make sense of the conclusion.

Question 21

What is a Convergent argument?

Answer 21

Where each independent premise provides enough evidence to make sense of the conclusion.

Question 22

What is a Serial argument?

Answer 22

An argument with at least one intermediate conclusion. So you have more than two “levels” to the argument.