LESSON 2: Distinguishing Between Premises and Conclusions Flashcards
What do all arguments contain?
A conclusion and one or more premises
What is a premise?
A proposition lending support to the conclusion
What is a conclusion?
The claim that the whole argument is intended to support
What is the logical relationship between premises and conclusions?
If the premises are true, the conclusion is likely true
What are the two ways arguments can go wrong?
- Bad inferential structure
- False premise
What is the standard way to capture the structure of an argument?
Numbering the premises and conclusion
What are conclusion indicators?
- Therefore
- So
- Hence
- Thus
- As a result
What are premise indicators?
- Because
- For
- Given that
- Since
- As
Identify the premise in the following argument: ‘We must save the wetlands, because wetlands protect us during storms by slowing water surges.’
‘Wetlands protect us during storms by slowing water surges.’
Identify the conclusion in the following argument: ‘Most students in the class scored less than 70% on the exam. This means that the exam was too difficult to accurately assess student learning.’
‘The exam must be revised and readministered.’
What is the purpose of premises in an argument?
To provide reasons supporting the conclusion
What is the purpose of a conclusion in an argument?
To state the claim that the argument is trying to prove
Fill in the blank: An argument is a set of statements, some of which attempt to provide a reason for thinking that some other statement is ______.
true
True or False: All arguments have only one premise.
False
What is the common anatomy of arguments?
- Premise: All poodles have curly hair
- Premise: Some humans have curly hair
- Conclusion: Therefore, some poodles are humans.
How can we identify premises and conclusions?
By recognizing their roles in an argument or using indicator words
What does it mean if an argument has a bad inferential structure?
The premises do not support the conclusion
Fill in the blank: The premises are the claims, evidence, ideas, and so forth intended to ______ the conclusion.
support
What should you do if you reject an argument?
Reject one of the premises, not the conclusion directly
What does a premise indicator suggest?
That a proposition is supporting a conclusion
What is the conclusion of the following argument: ‘Given that the legislature has not approved it, I must conclude there is no legal way for me to complete the project.’
‘There is no legal way for me to complete the project.’
What is the result of the equation 8 – 4?
4
What is the equation that shows 2 + 2 equals 8 – 4?
2 + 2 = 8 – 4
What is the general structure of the premises as shown?
A + B + C = D
