Task 3 - Complex arguments

Question 1

Logic

Answer 1

the organised body of knowledge, or science, that evaluates arguments

aim: to develop a system of methods and principles that we may use as criteria for evaluating the arguments of others and as guides in constructing arguments of our own –> to develop methods and techniques that allow us to distinguish good arguments from bad ones

Question 2

Argument

Answer 2

a group of statements, one or more of which (the premises) are claimed to provide support for, or reasons to believe, one of the others (conclusions)

Question 3

Statement

Answer 3

a sentence that is either true or false (typically a declarative sentence or a sentence component that could stand as a declarative sentence)

Question 4

Truth values (of a statement)

Answer 4

• truth

- falsity

Question 5

Premises

Answer 5

the statements that set forth the reasons or evidence

Question 6

Conclusion

Answer 6

the statement that the evidence is claimed to support or imply

Question 7

Conclusion indicators (examples)

Answer 7

• Therefore
• Wherefore
• Thus
• Consequently
• We may infer
• Accordingly

Question 8

Premise indicator (examples)

Answer 8

• Since
• As indicated by
• Because
• For

Question 9

Inference

Answer 9

the reasoning process expressed by an argument and is used interchangeably with “argument”

• treated the same as an argument
• inductive reasoning - because “probably”

Question 10

Proposition

Answer 10

the meaning or information content of a statement

- treated the same as a statement

Question 11

Syllogistic logic

Answer 11

a kind of logic in which the fundamental elements are terms, and arguments are evaluated as good or bad depending on how the terms are arranged in the argument

Question 12

Modal logic

Answer 12

a kind of logic that involves concepts as possibility, necessity, belief, and doubt

Question 13

Simple non-inferential passages

Answer 13

unproblematic passages that lack a claim that anything is being proved

Question 14

Warning

Answer 14

form of expression that is intended to put someone on guard against a dangerous or detrimental situation

Question 15

Piece of advice

Answer 15

form of expression that makes a recommendation about some future decision or course of conduct

Question 16

A statement of belief or opinion

Answer 16

expression about what someone happens to believe or think about something

Question 17

Loosely associated statements

Answer 17

may be about the same general subject, but they lack a claim that one of them is proved by others

Question 18

Report

Answer 18

a group of statements that convey information about some topic or event

Question 19

Expository passage

Answer 19

is a kind of discourse that begins with a topic sentence followed by one or more sentences that develop the topic sentence

Question 20

illustration

Answer 20

an expression involving one or more examples that is intended to show what something means or how it is done

Question 21

Multilayered arguments

Answer 21

An argument in which reasons or objections have drawn out new reasons or objections

Question 22

Rebuttal

Answer 22

When a reason is followed by an objection within an argument
2 kinds of rebuttals:
1. counterargument to a premise: shows that the reason’s contention is false – it attacks the content of the premise
2. counterargument to a conclusion: even though the contention proposed in the reason is correct, this contention does not provide enough proof to support the conclusion – it attacks the argument (the link between the claim and the reason)

Question 23

Refutation

2 types

Answer 23

if a counterargument is itself rejected within an argument
- as long as the second objection is correct, the refutation means that the first objection in the argument can be ignored

1. a refutation of a premise
2. a refutation of a conclusion

Question 24

attention should be paid to two macrostructural rules

Answer 24

1. the pyramid rule

2. the MECE rule

Question 25

the pyramid rule

Answer 25

The pyramid rule has two aspects.

• 1st. the higher up the argument is placed in the argument tree, the more general and abstract it should be.
• 2nd. aspect is that when two arguments are placed on the same level, they should have the same level of abstraction

Question 26

MECE rule

Answer 26

Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive

• there must be no overlap or gaps in any group of reasons or objections
• • Mutually Exclusive means that within each group, the reasons or objections should be different from one another
• • Collectively Exhaustive, means that all conceivable arguments that are relevant to the claim are brought to bear, leaving no gaps in the argument tree