A sequence of statements, intended to support one or more conclusions The truth of the premises gives you a reason to believe the conclusion
Arguments in philosophy
Statements that are simply asserted without proof in the context of the present argument.
Premises
The side of the argument leads to the main point and is supported by premises.
Conclusion
An argument can only be valid If Its premises entails to a conclusion. It's impossible for the conclusion to be invalid.
Validity
If it is raining, then the streets are wet. It's raining. Therefore, the streets are wet.
By logic, raining makes the street wet.
Example of a Valid argument
An argument can only be Invalid If Its premises does not entail to the conclusion, thus, making the conclusion false.
Invalidity
If it is raining, then the streets are wet. The streets are wet. Therefore, It's raining.
It could be a construction. A movie play about flooding. It doens't have to be rain for the streets to be wet.
Example of a Invalid argument
The premises are true and the conclusion is true therefore, must be valid.
The argument is valid and their premises are true.
Soudness
All rabbits are mammals. Bugs Bunny is a rabbit. Therefore, Bugs Bunny is a mammal.
Sound Argument Examples
An argument is unsound when the argument is invalid, or if at least one of the premises is false.
Unsoundness
All pigs can fly. Pinky is a pig. Therefore Pinky can fly.
Pigs can't fly by logic, so It makes Premise 1: False. The argument is still valid, however.
Example of Unsound argument
When an argument is an instance of a scheme all of whose instances are valid, the argument is said to be formally valid.
Formal Validity
If p, then q Not q Therefore not p
Modus Tollens
If p then q p Therefore q
Modus Ponens
Either p or q It is not the case that p Therefore q
Disjunctive Syllogism
If p then q If q then r If p then r
Hypothetical Syllogism
If p then q If it is not the case that q, then it is not the case that p
Contraposition
This reasoning leads to the absurd conclusion that no number of objects is something indistinguishable from the other.
What is the Sorites Paradox?
Acceptability: Is your argument logical and a reasonable one?
Relevance: Are your arguments relevant?
Sufficiency: Is there sufficient evidence?
It is important for someone to accept the premises first before the conclusion. If the conclusion is doubted, then the premises did nothing to support the conclusion.
What makes a good argument?
Arguments that aim to be valid.
It entails Its conclusion
Generate an argument where It leads an entailment to the conclusion from its premises.
Includes proof. The conclusion is supported and entailed
Demonstrative Arguments
Premises entail somewhat of the conclusion. Premises can doubt the conclusion but may still be valid.
Non demonstrative Arguments
Started with a particular observation to a generalized claim. Tactically relies on the idea that the particulars are a guide to the general. Typically, Hypothetical.
Inductive Argument
A form of inductive reasoning in which we reason from premises about a state of affairs to an explanation for that state of affairs.
Which one infers a theory that would if true, provide the best available explanation for one's evidence?
Inference to Best Explanation
Socrates and Euthyphro are both on trial, Euthyphro prosecuting his father who killed an employee for having killed an enslaved person, and Euthyphro is confident hes acting piously/righteously, so Socrates is asking him what piety/righteousness is to him.
Euthyphro
If something is loved by the gods because it is pious, or pious because It’s loved by the gods.
Euthyphro's Dilenma
Morally required/forbidden actions are required because of god's commands, permissible actions are those where god neither commands nor forbids.
Divine Command Theory
The practice of judging a culture by its own standards. Proposes that what is ethical is relative to, or depends on cultural attitude.
Cultural Relativism
Rightness/wrongness of an action is determined only by its effects on the world. Try to avoid the worst case scenario.
Consequentialism
The principle of Utility: Ought to do what action best maximizes happiness and minimizes unhappiness.
Utilitarianism
a practice where one gets rid of worldly pleasures and focuses on thinking, particularly for religious or spiritual purposes (e.g. Buddhist Monk)
Principle of Asceticism
Its intensity, duration, certainty or uncertainty, its nearness and remoteness, fecundity (its chance of being followed by sensations of the same kind) purity (its chance of not being followed by opposite sensations), and its extent (the number of persons to whom it extends or whos affected by it)
Measures of pleasure and pain (Utilitarianism)
charges utilitarianism with being overly permissive. To maximise the sum total of well-being, utilitarianism might be thought to allow infringing upon others’ rights or violating other apparent moral constraints.
the rights objection (utilitarianism)
claims that utilitarianism is overly demanding because it requires excessive self-sacrifice from us in order to help others.
The demandingness objection (utilitarianism)
holds that utilitarianism is not sufficiently concerned with distributive justice and the value of equality.
The equality objection (utilitarianism)
claims that utilitarianism treats people as “mere means” to the greater good rather than as ends in themselves
The mere means objection (utilitarianism)
charges utilitarianism with aggregating well-being in an unacceptable way, neglecting the significance of the boundaries between individuals.
The separateness of persons' objection (utilitarianism)
alleges that the moral reasons posited by utilitarianism are troublingly cold and aloof, alienating us from the particular people and projects that (rightly) matter to us
The alienation objection (utilitarianism)
holds that utilitarianism is excessively impartial, and does not sufficiently account for the special obligations that we have to our friends and family.
The special obligations objection (utilitarianism)
Overemphasizes food insecurity and population size. Poverty in general.
Singer
If It's in our power to prevent something seriously from bad happening without hereby sacrificing anything of moral importance, we ought to do it.
Principle of Assistance
She believes there are 2 types of moral saints; the loving saint, and the rational saint. Both have lives organized around satisfying the demands of mortality, though they relate differently to those demands.
Susan Wolf
Wants what we want but gives it up of our commitment to morality. They are not enjoying doing so, just for the sake of obligation.
Rational Saint
Being exceptionally morally good is what makes him happy. Enjoys and dedicate their life to kindness.
Loving Saint
An ethical theory that says actions are good or bad according to a clear set of rules. Actions that align with these rules are ethical, while actions that don't, arent.
Deontology
At first glance duty. Morals reasons against doing acts that can be defeated by competing considerations.
Defeasible.
Prima Facie Duty
If you make a promise, you have to keep it. You have an obligation not to lie.
Fidelity
If I have wronged you in the past that gives me a duty in the present to make it up to you, If you steal you owe compensation
Reperation
Responding to other people's duties of past conduct, going above and beyond, and repaying the favor when someone else is in need.
Gratitude
Fairness and distribution, duty to contribute to forming and maintaing fair distribution, about distributing things according to merit so that good persons get more and bad persons get less.
Justice
In position to help people, confer on them a benefit or protection from harm. Singer's views.
Beneficence
Make yourself a better person over time
Self improvement
A duty not to harm
Non-maleficence