Week 2- Chapts 4 & 5: Standard Form Arguments, Relevance, Induction, and Deduction

Vocabulary flashcards covering the components of standard form arguments, rhetorical modes of persuasion, definitions of relevance, and classifications of deductive and inductive arguments from Chapters 4 and 5.

Standard Form (for arguments)

An outline format of an argument with all statements numbered, conclusions identified with three dots (or "therefore"), and justification lines with supporting premises identified.

Ethos

A mode of persuasion identified by Aristotle that depends on the character, personality, or authority of the speaker or author.

Pathos

A mode of persuasion identified by Aristotle that appeals to emotion to influence or motivate an audience.

Logos

A mode of persuasion identified by Aristotle that relies on logic, reasons, and rational justifications for claims.

Justification Line

A phrase written at the end of a conclusion or subconclusion in a standard form argument indicating which premises support it and whether they are dependent or independent.

Subconclusion

A conclusion within a complex argument that is supported by earlier premises and in turn acts as a premise supporting a subsequent conclusion.

Paraphrase

To rewrite a sentence or passage in other words while retaining the exact same meaning, typically to increase clarity, simplicity, or literal precision.

Relevance (between statements)

A relationship between two statements where the truth of one statement is intertwined with, affects, or alters the likelihood of the truth of the other statement.

Positive Relevance

A relationship where the truth of one statement makes another statement more likely to be true.

Negative Relevance

A relationship where the truth of one statement makes another statement more likely to be false.

Maximal Relevance

The condition where the truth of a statement (or group of statements) completely determines the truth of another statement, leaving no possibility for other information to alter that certainty.

Partial Relevance

The condition where the truth of a statement affects but does not completely determine the truth of another statement.

Deductive Argument

An argument which fits a general pattern where the premises have the potential to be maximally relevant to the conclusion.

Inductive Argument

An argument which fits a general pattern where the premises can only be partially relevant to the conclusion.

Deductive Validity

The highest standard of proof in logic, equivalent to mathematical certainty, where it is impossible for all premises to be true and the conclusion false at the same time.

Inductive Strength

A standard of proof akin to preponderance of the evidence, where premises establish a degree of probability or likelihood for the conclusion rather than an absolute guarantee.

Mathematical Argument

A type of deductive argument whose reasoning relies on arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or mathematical relations to achieve maximal relevance.

Argument Based on Definition

A deductive argument where the conclusion follows directly and necessarily from the definitions or meanings of the key terms in the premises.

Categorical Argument

A deductive argument whose reasoning is based on group membership or exclusion using terms like "all," "no," or "some."

Hypothetical Argument

A deductive argument whose reasoning depends upon the logical connection in one or more hypothetical (conditional) premises.

Disjunctive Argument

A deductive argument that relies on a disjunctive ("either/or") premise to establish a conclusion.

Prediction (Argument)

An inductive argument in which premises concerning the past or present are used to draw a conclusion about the future.

Argument by Analogy

An inductive argument claiming that because two things are similar in known, verified ways, they will also be similar in another unverified way.

Inductive Generalization

An inductive argument in which a conclusion about an entire group is drawn based on observations of a smaller sample taken from that group.

Causal Argument

An inductive argument that attempts to establish a causal principle or prove that one event or thing is the cause of another.

Statistical / Probabilistic Argument

An inductive argument where the conclusion relies on a statistical probability or likelihood rather than a deductive certainty.

Argument from Authority

An inductive argument where a claim is asserted to be true because an individual or source with presumed expertise asserted it to be true.

Abductive Reasoning

An inductive form of reasoning (inference to the best explanation) that supports a conclusion by showing that the evidence points to one hypothesis as the best explanation among alternatives.

Principle of Charity (in logic)

The interpretive guideline specifying that if an argument succeeds under a deductive standard, it should be treated as deductive; if it fails, it should be interpreted as an inductive argument rather than an invalid or defective deductive argument.

Exclusive Disjunction

An "either/or" statement in which exactly one of the disjuncts is true, but both cannot be true at the same time.

Inclusive Disjunction

An "either/or" statement in which at least one of the disjuncts is true, and it remains true even if both disjuncts are true.