Introduction to Arguments

Question 1

What does logic provide?

Answer 1

The ideal model of good argument

Question 2

What is the ideal model of good argument?

Answer 2

Rational argument without rhetoric, unspoken assumptions, appeal to emotions, etc.

Question 3

What is an argument?

Answer 3

A set of claims in which one or more of the claims, the premises, are put forward so as to offer reasons for another claim: the conclusion

Question 4

What is a counterexample to an argument?

Answer 4

A scenario in which all the premises of an argument are true but the conclusion is false

Question 5

If there is a counterexample to an argument, then what is the argument?

Answer 5

Less persuasive

Question 6

Why is an argument with a counterexample less persuasive?

Answer 6

Because the premises do not adequately support the conclusion

Question 7

What is a logically valid argument?

Answer 7

An argument structured in such a way that there cannot be a counterexample to them.

Question 8

For a logically valid argument, what is not possible?

Answer 8

It is not possible for all the premises to be true but the conclusion false.

Question 9

In a logically valid argument…

Answer 9

If all the premises were true, then the conclusion would be true.

Question 10

In a valid argument…

Answer 10

In every situation in which all the premises are true, the conclusion is also true

Question 11

Every argument is either:

Answer 11

Invalid (it has a counterexample; or
Valid (it has no counterexample)

Question 12

What is validity?

Answer 12

The strongest possible link between premises and conclusions: It is the ‘gold standard’ of good argument.

Question 13

If we agree with all the premises of a valid argument…

Answer 13

Then we must also agree with the conclusion

Question 14

If we deny the conclusion of an argument…

Answer 14

We must also deny (at least) one of the premises

Question 15

When we’re thinking about validity, what are we not concerned with?

Answer 15

Whether the premises and the conclusion are actually true in the real world.

Question 16

Validity can still hold even if…

Answer 16

The premises and/or the conclusion are actually false.

Question 17

What does validity only demonstrate?

Answer 17

That the connection between the premises and the conclusion is solid

Question 18

What does an argument based on premises that are false (or unreasonable, or implausible) not provide?

Answer 18

Good support to its conclusions

Question 19

A ‘sound’ argument is…

Answer 19

An argument that is valid and whose premises are all true.

Question 20

So, if an argument is sound, what must its conclusion be?

Answer 20

True

Question 21

In some cases, we can see that an argument is valid by looking at what?

Answer 21

Its form

Question 22

The validity of the argument does not depend upon particular facts about what?

Answer 22

Its premises

Question 23

What does the validity of the argument actually come from?

Answer 23

The structure

Question 24

What is this argument form?
P1: If A then B
P2: A
Conc: B

Answer 24

Valid