theoretical background Flashcards
inductive arguments
argument incorporating the claim that
>it is improbable that the conclusion be false
> given that the premises are true
deductive arguments
argument incorporating the claim that:
> it is impossible for the conclusion to be false
> given that the premises are true
what are examples of deductive argument forms?
- argument based on maths
- agrument from definition
- categroical syllogism (all, no, some)
- hypotheical syllogism (if… then)
what are examples of inductive argument forms?
- prediction
- argument from anaolgy
- generalisation
- agrument from authority
- argument basde on signs
- causal inference
how can deductive arguments be evaluated?
> valid deductive argument
= impossible for the conclusion to be false, given that the premises are true
> invalid deductive argument
= possible for the conclusion to be false, given that the premises are true -> conclusion does not follow with strict necessity from premises
> sound argument
= deductive argument that is true and has all true premises
> unsound argument
= deductive argument that is either
(1) invalid
(2) has one or more false premises
(3) both
how can inductive arguments be evaluated?
> strong inductive argument
= inductive argument in which it is improbable that the conclusion be false, given that the premises are true
> weak inductive argument
= argument in which the conclusion does not follow probably from the premises
what do inductive arguments depend on?
- uniformity of nature
= future tends to replicate the part and regularities in one region tend to prevail in other regions
= ultimate basis for our judgements, about what we naturally expect to occur - total evidence requirement:
what is the total evidence requirement
premises must not exclude or overlook some crucial piece of evidence that undermines the stated premises and requires a different conclusion
> cogent argument (meets)
= strong + all true premises
uncogent argument (doesn´t meet)
= weak + one or more false premises
what does distribution refer to?
a term (subject/ predicate) is distributed if the statement includes every member of a group
when is P distributed?
E
O
(right row)
when is S distributed?
A
E
(upper row)