what is an argument?
DESCRIPTION
What is an Argument?. The following sketch from Monty Python shows us both what an argument is and what an argument is not…. O: Look, if I *argue* with you, I must take up a contrary position! M: Yes but it isn't just saying "no it isn't". O: Yes it is! M: No it isn't! O: Yes it is! - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
What is an Argument?
M: An argument isn't just contradiction.
O: Well! it CAN be!
M: No it can't! An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition.
O: No it isn't!
M: Yes it is! 'tisn't just contradiction.
O: Look, if I *argue* with you, I must take up a contrary position!
M: Yes but it isn't just saying "no it isn't".
O: Yes it is!
M: No it isn't!
O: Yes it is!
M: No it ISN'T! Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says.
O: It isn’t
The following sketch from Monty Python shows us both what an argument is and what an argument is not…
But they are the products of the reasoning processes
So they aren’t a fight or mere contradiction
…and they are…
…and they are the philosopher’s tool for problem solving
The connected series of statements are called premises and the ‘proposition’ they are supposed to establish is the conclusion.
…and they are “a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition.”
All arguments have a premise and a
conclusion
A logical argument, as opposed to a dispute or fight argument, has evidence -premises – to justify a conclusion.
So for example
P1 Students who work hard during the year do well
P2 You are all students who will work hard this year
C You will all do well
Premise 1
Premise 2
Conclusion
Can you see how the premises justify, or provide evidence, for the conclusion?
Can you see that the conclusion follows from the premises?
Premises then provide the evidence, or justification to support the conclusion
A good series of premises for a particular conclusion will justify that conclusion well
…their job is to provide the reasons for accepting a conclusion
The best premises are those that are both TRUE and SUPPORT the conclusion well
The symbol for a premise is P
It is that statement which the other statements in the argument are supposed to justify/support/establish
The conclusion is the statement one is trying to establish in a piece of
reasoning – in an argument
The symbol for a
conclusion is C
If an argument needs a premise and a conclusion then if we want to find an argument we need to find premises and a conclusion.
(Can you find the premise and conclusion in that argument?)
Finding and identifying premises and conclusions will also usually help us to understand the argument better.
How do we find premises and conclusions?
Finding arguments takes practice. Indicator words though can
sometimes help us to identify premises and conclusions and thus
arguments.
*Warning* Not all arguments have indicator words and not all indicator arguments are
related to arguments, premises and conclusions
because
in the first place
follow from
for
since
as
the reason is that
moreover
it may be inferred from
Indicator words for Premises
Indicator words for Conclusions
consequently
therefore
implies that
hence
so
proves that
it follows that
which means that
conclude that
indicate that
the inference is that
then
in conclusion