What is the concept of argument?
A statement that presents a claim supported by premises
Arguments consist of premises and conclusions, often indicated by specific markers.
Name the premise indicators used in arguments.
- since
- because
- after all
- given that
- let us assume that…
- first/second/third
These indicators help identify the premises in an argument.
Name the conclusion indicators used in arguments.
- hence
- so
- therefore
- thus
- accordingly
- consequently
- it follows that
These indicators signal the conclusion of an argument.
What are the four sentence moods?
- Declarative
- Imperative
- Interrogative
- Exclamatory
Each mood serves a different communicative purpose.
What does the declarative mood communicate?
That something is or isn’t the case
Example: Barry won the 50m freestyle. Only these sentences can be false.
What does the imperative mood communicate?
A command
Example: Go and win that race Barry.
What does the interrogative mood communicate?
A question or a request
Example: Did Barry win the 50m freestyle?
What does the exclamatory mood communicate?
Emotions or attitudes
Example: Well done, Barry!
What is a deductive argument?
An argument where the conclusion is supposed to follow from its premises with necessity
Example: If Lizzie wants to study at FS, she must attend an FS assessment centre.
What is an inductive argument?
An argument where the conclusion is supported but not guaranteed by its premises
Example: Lizzie studies at FS; over 90% of FS students are less than 35 years old; therefore, Lizzie is less than 35 years old.
What is validity in the context of arguments?
A deductive argument is valid iff the conclusion can’t be false while the premises are all true
Validity relates to the logical structure of the argument.
What does logically impossible mean?
A situation is logically possible iff it is coherent, conceivable, or non-contradictory
This concept helps in evaluating the plausibility of scenarios.
What is the difference between validity and soundness?
Validity concerns logical structure; soundness involves actual truth and falsity
A sound argument is both valid and has true premises.
