Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the fundamental concepts of formal and informal logic, argument reconstruction, and common fallacies based on the textbook 'Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking' by Matthew J. Van Cleave.

Argument (Logic)

A set of statements where some (the premises) attempt to provide a reason for thinking that another statement (the conclusion) is true.

Statement

A declarative sentence that is capable of being true or false.

Premise

A statement in an argument that provides support or evidence for the conclusion.

Conclusion

The statement in an argument that the premises are intended to support.

Standard Argument Form

A layout where premises are numbered and listed above the conclusion, which is typically marked with the symbol "\therefore" or the word "Therefore."

Explanation

An attempt to establish why a statement is true, assuming its truth is already granted, rather than that it is true.

Validity

A property of deductive arguments such that if the premises are true, the conclusion must be true.

Invalidity

A property of an argument where it is possible for the premises to be true while the conclusion is false.

Soundness

A property of a deductive argument that is both valid and has all true premises.

Deductive Argument

An argument intended to provide a guarantee of the truth of the conclusion.

Inductive Argument

An argument where the premises are intended to provide high probability, but not certainty, for the conclusion.

Strong Inductive Argument

An inductive argument in which the truth of the premises makes the conclusion highly probable.

Defeasible

A characteristic of inductive arguments where adding new information can weaken or overturn the support for the conclusion.

Atomic Proposition

A simple statement that does not contain any truth-functional connectives.

Truth-Functional Connective

A logical operator (like 'and', 'or', 'if…then', 'not') used to build complex propositions from atomic ones.

Tautology

A statement that is true in virtue of its logical form, regardless of the truth of its components.

Contradiction

A statement that is false in virtue of its logical form.

Contingent Statement

A statement that is neither a tautology nor a contradiction; its truth depends on actual facts.

Modus Ponens

A valid inference form: If p \supset q and p, then q.

Modus Tollens

A valid inference form: If p \supset q and \sim q, then \sim p.

Categorical Statement

A statement that asserts a relationship between two categories or classes of things.

Venn Diagram

A graphical representation used to assess the validity of categorical syllogisms.

Statistical Generalization

An inductive generalization about a population based on a sample of that population.

Hasty Generalization

A fallacy committed when an inductive generalization is made based on an inadequate sample size.

Inference to the Best Explanation

An inductive argument concluding that a hypothesis is true because it explains the evidence better than any other competing hypothesis.

Slippery Slope Fallacy

A fallacy suggesting that a relatively small first step will inevitably lead to a chain of related (typically negative) events.

Ad Hominem

A fallacy of relevance where an arguer attacks the person making the argument rather than the argument itself.

Straw Man Fallacy

A fallacy where an opponent's position is misrepresented as more extreme or less plausible to make it easier to refute.

Begging the Question

A fallacy of circular reasoning where the conclusion is assumed, either explicitly or implicitly, in the premises.

Regression to the Mean

The statistical phenomenon where extreme results tend to be followed by results closer to the average.