Identifying Arguments, Premises and Conclusions

 

Lecture 2

Dec 24, 2006

 

I. What is an Argument?

1. In critical thinking we do not use the word argument in the sense of "fight" or "disagreement".  ie. Getting into an argument (fight).

 

Definition:

An argument is a set of declarative sentences, one of which is the conclusion and the rest of which are the premises.  The premises are reasons offered in support of the conclusion.

 

2. Why did professor (logician) use an abstract argument?

A less abstract definition might be delivered by someone by a person to someone else, on a particular occasion.  Logicians like to discuss arguments in general.  The abstract definition allows for the possibility of truly atrocious arguments to be discussed.  This method is also easier to find out what kind of argument someone intended to give.

 

II. What Argument Is Being Expressed?

1. What is the conclusion and what are the premises?

2. If someone does a good job presenting or writing, they will do a good job in making the argument easy to spot.  They will not leave you guessing.

3. Even in good arguments, there are often things included that are not part of the argument at all.

a. This could include jokes, anecdotes and asides.

b. They often spend time defining terms and explaining what they mean by their premises. This is good because it helps reduce ambiguity, but it is not technically part of the argument.

4. We can also give examples of a premise.

5. Good writers / speakers make it easier to spot arguments, that process is called signposting.

6. How do they signpost, especially in writing?

a. Indicator words, help convey those messages.

b. "Here's my.... here's my" <- caricature of signposting

7. A lot of the time you can rely on the context to help make things easier for your audience.

8. Written or spoken arguments often have dramatic requirements (rhetoric) in addition to logical requirements.

9. In more complex arguments, some propositions are both conclusions are premises.  You cannot mechanically look at these, you have to think about them.

10. Always give people the benefit of doubt, use the principle of charity.

 

 

III. Is An Argument Being Presented?

Arguing is only one of the things we do with languages.  Arguments are important but they are not everywhere.

 

Two conditions for an argument to be present:

1. Someone is trying to convince someone of something.  This calls for judgment about a person's intentions.  What are they trying to do?

2. Give reasons why you should accept that "something."

 

 

 

 

 

 

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