Philosophy Flash Cards

A sound deductive argument is…

valid and its premises are true

Modus Ponens “The Mode Affirming”

Affirms the antecedent of the conditional. Ex: If I am at least 21 I have a legal right to drink beer

Modus Tollens “The Mode Denying”

Denies the antecedent of the conditional. Think “If P then Q, Not Q, Not P”

Disjunctive Argument “Either-Or”

Reasoning or the process of elimination

A good argument…

Uses a valid rule meaning it is valid and had true premises meaning it is also sound

An argument is deductively valid if…

The conclusion follows from its premises, if the premises are true then the conclusion must also be true

Denying the Antecedent looks like…

If P then Q, not P/not Q

Affirming the Consequent looks like…

If P then Q, Q/P. They can have true premises and a false conclusion which makes it invalid

If its premises are true…

then the conclusion is more probable

Philosophy is defined as…

the understanding of logical reason that pertains to the fundamental issues of human life

Logic is…

the province of philosophy. It is a normative practice about how to reason correctly

An “argument” in logic is…

a group of propositions where at least one is a premise and another is a conclusion

Premise is…

What gives evidence

Conclusion is…

What is supported by the evidence