PH2002 key terms chapter one

Question 1

Reason

Answer 1

When we ask the question “why?”
eg Why should I buy this particular mobile phone?

Question 2

Justification

Answer 2

Not only asking for reason for taking the action or accepting the belief but GOOD REASON - motivate us to act or believe as we are recommended to do.

Question 3

Argument

Answer 3

An ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE by giving good reasons
eg buy certain products or avoid illicit drugs
Different types of ATTEMPTS TO PERSUADE
Arguments appeal to your critical faculties, your reason.

Question 4

Rhetoric

Answer 4

An attempt to persuade that DOES NOT ATTEMPT to give GOOD REASONS, instead attempts to motivate by OTHER MEANS.
Appeals to our desires, fears and other feelings.

Question 5

When analysing attempts to persuade, we must perform three tasks:

Answer 5

1) Distinguish whether an argument is being presented - IDENTIFY THE ISSUE being discussed and determine whether or not the writer/speaker is attempting to persuade by means of argument
2) Once established writer/speaker is presenting an argument - RECONSTRUCT the argument to express it clearly
3) After clear reconstruction - EVALUATE the argument. What’s good and what’s bad about it.

Question 6

An argument

Answer 6

a set of propositions of which one is a conclusion and the remainder are premises, intended as support for the conclusion

Question 7

a proposition

Answer 7

factual content expressed by a declarative sentence on a particular occasion.
The same preposition may be expressed by different sentences eg “Her name is Sheila” expresses the same proposition as “She is called Sheila”

Question 8

Inference bar

Answer 8

The line between the premises and conclusion
its purpose is to distinguish steps in reasoning

Question 9

Standard form

Answer 9

A way of setting out arguments
By numbering the premises (listing in order which they occur)
P1, P2 …
Draw line (inference line) between last premise and conclusion ‘C’
Conclusion always at bottom.

eg
P1) Car use is seriously damaging the environment
P2) Reducing car jouneys would reduce damage to the environment
P3) We should do what we can to protect the environment
————————————————————————–
C) We should make fewer jouneys by car