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Modes of Reasoning > Chapter Three > Flashcards

Chapter Three Flashcards

1
Q

What is the point of devising an argument?

A

To try and show your audience that a statement or claim is worthy of acceptance.

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1
Q

What is the point of evaluating an argument?

A

To see whether the argument shows that the statement is worthy of acceptance.

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2
Q

What is a deductive argument?

A

An argument that is intended to provide logical, CONCLUSIVE, support for its conclusion.

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3
Q

What is an inductive argument?

A

An argument that is intended to provide and is only capable of providing PROBABLE support for its conclusion.

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4
Q

What makes a deductive argument valid?

A

Provides decisive and logical support.
- If it’s premises are true, then the conclusion must be true.
- It has the kind of logical structure that guarantees the truth of the conclusion if the premises are true.

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5
Q

What makes a deductive argument invalid?

A

Fails to provide decisive and logical support.
-If the premises are true, the conclusion is probably or likely to be true.
-The structure of an inductively strong argument cannot guarantee that the conclusion is true if the premises are true.

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6
Q

What are deductive arguments said to be?

A

They’re said to be truth-preserving.

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7
Q

What is truth-preserving?

A

In a valid, deductive argument, the structure of the argument preserves that truth, all the way through into the conclusion.

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8
Q

Is it possible for the premises to be true and the conclusion to be false?

A

No! It’s impossible. The conclusion follows logically from the premises.

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9
Q

What makes an inductive argument strong?

A

If the argument succeeds in providing probable but not conclusive logical support for it’s conclusion.

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10
Q

What are good arguments?

A

A good argument has proper structure and true premises.

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11
Q

What is it when a deductively valid argument also has true premises?

A

It is said to be sound.

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12
Q

Is a sound argument a good argument?

A

Yes.

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13
Q

What does it mean when an argument is said to be cogent?

A

It means that it’s an inductively strong argument that also has true premises.

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14
Q

What are the four steps of evaluating an argument?

A
  1. Find the conclusion of the argument, then identify the premises.
  2. Ask “If the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true?
    - If yes, it’s deductively valid.
    -If no, move onto the next step.
  3. Ask “ If the premises were true, then the conclusion would probably be true?”
    -If yes, then it’s inductively strong.
    -If no, move onto the next step.
  4. Ask “is the argument intended to offer conclusive of probable support but fails to do so?”
    -If yes, then the argument is invalid or weak.
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15
Q

When should we try to find an unstated premise?

A

When there appears to be something essential missing.
- An implied, logical link between premises and conclusion that is not common-sense.

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16
Q

What is the principle of charity?

A

Whenever we find someone’s meaning unclear, we should attempt to interpret it in a way to make them make sense.
- Don’t assume the person is saying something silly or confused.

17
Q

What are the three steps for finding implicit premises?

A
  1. Search for a credible premise that would make the argument valid.
    - One that would furnish the needed link between premise and conclusion.
    -Choose the premise that is most plausible and fits best with the authors intent.
  2. Search for a credible premise that would make the argument as strong as possible.
  3. Evaluate the reconstituted argument.
18
Q

What are the six different argument structures?

A
  • Affirming the Antecedent
  • Denying the Consequent.
  • Hypothetical Syllogisms
  • Denying the Antecedent
  • Affirming the Consequent
  • Disjunctive Syllogism
19
Q

Which argument structures are valid?

A
  • Affirming the Antecedent
  • Denying the Consequent.
  • Hypothetical Syllogisms
  • Disjunctive Syllogism
20
Q

Which argument structures are not valid?

A
  • Denying the Antecedent
  • Affirming the Consequent
21
Q

What is the latin term for affirming the antecedent?

A

Modes ponens.

22
Q

What is the latin term for denying the consequent?

A

Modus tollens

23
Q

What is the form of denying the consequent?

A

If p, then q.
Not p.
Therefore, not q.

24
Q

What is the form of affirming the antecedent?

A

If p, then q.
p.
Therefore, q.

25
Q

What is a conditional argument?

A

If they contain at least one “if-then,” premise.

26
Q

What is the first statement (the “if” part) known as in a conditional argument?

A

The antecedent.

27
Q

What is the second statement (the “then” part) known as in a conditional argument?

A

The consequent.

28
Q

What is a syllogism?

A

An argument made up of three statements.
-Two premises and a conclusion.

29
Q

What is the form of a hypothetical syllogism?

A

If p, then q.
If q, then r.
Therefore, if p, then r.

30
Q

What is the form of denying the antecedent?

A

If p, then q.
Not p.
Therefore, not q.

31
Q

What is the form of affirming the consequent?

A

If p, then q.
q.
Therefore, p.

32
Q

What is the form of disjunctive syllogism?

A

Either p or q.
Not p.
Therefor, q.

33
Q

When diagramming an argument, what are the premises in?

A

A square.

34
Q

When diagramming an argument, what are the conclusions in?

A

A circle.

35
Q

What are the basic steps of diagramming an argument?

A
  1. Underline indicator words.
  2. Number only and all of the statements.
  3. Cross out statements that are neither premises nor conclusions.
36
Q

Is an if-then statement considered one statement or multiple when diagramming an argument?

A

One statement.

37
Q

What is an independent premise?

A

Offers support to the conclusion without the help of any other premises.

38
Q

What is a dependent premise?

A

Premises that depend on each other to jointly provide support to a conclusion.
-If either premise is removed from the other, the one that remains doesn’t provide enough support.

39
Q

What does the circle-square combination indicate when diagramming arguments?

A

The statement is a sub-conclusion. It serves as both a premise and a conclusion.

40
Q

What are the steps to assessing long arguments?

A
  1. Study the text until you understand it.
  2. Find the conclusion.
    - You may have to paraphrase large sections of text so you have a single conclusion statement.
  3. Identify the premises.
    - Keep your eye on the big picture.
    - You may have to condense large sections of text into single premise statements.
  4. Diagram the argument.
41
Q

What are the challenges of assessing long arguments?

A
  1. Only a small part of the writing may contain statements that serve as the premises and conclusions.
  2. The premises or conclusion may be implicit.
  3. Many longer works claiming to be filled with arguments may contain little to none.

Modes of Reasoning (6 decks)

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