Justice, Law, and Morality

What is an argument?

A connected series of statements intended to demonstrate that another statement is true

The GOAL of an argument is…

To offer good reasons in support of a specific claim known as the conclusion

Premise

A statement supporting or helping to establish an argument’s conclusion

Conclusion

A statement supported by the argument’s premises

Standard form of an argument

P1, P2, P3, CONCLUSION

The Two Tests/Questions

Does the conclusion follow the premises? Are the premises true?

Validity

In a valid argument, the conclusion follows from the premises, passing the FIRST test

Soundness

A valid argument with all true premises, passing BOTH tests

Arguments CAN BE

valid, invalid, sound, or unsound

Arguments CANNOT BE

True or false

Statements CANNOT BE

valid, invalid, sound, or unsound

Statements CAN BE

True or false

Can a SOUND argument have a FALSE conclusion?

No, a sound argument will always have a true conclusion

How to identify arguments

Identify the CONCLUSION and the PREMISES

A good argument…

Provides strong reasons for its conclusion as the logical structure provides a strong degree of support for the conclusion and the premises within it are true