logic
the science that evaluates arguments
argument
a group of statements, one or more of which (the premises) are claimed to provide support for, or reasons to believe, one of the others (the conclusion)
statement
a sentence that is either true or false
premise
a statement in an argument that sets forth evidence
conclusion
the statement in an argument that the premises are claimed to support or imply
conclusion indicators
a word that provides a clue to identifying a conclusion
premise indicators
a word that provides a clue to identifying a premise
inference
the reasoning process expressed by an argument
proposition
the information content of a statement
syllogistic
a deductive argument consisting of two premises and one conclusion
syllogistic logic
the logic that deals with categorical propositions and categorical syllogistic
modal logic
a kind of logic that deals with concepts such as possibility, necessity, belief, and doubt
factual claim
a claim that something is true; a claim that evidence or reasons are being presented
inferential claim
a claim that alleged evidence or reasons support or imply something
warning
a form of expression intended to put someone on guard against a dangerous or detrimental situation
piece of advice
a form of expression that makes a recommendation about some future decision or course of conduct
statement of opinion
a kind of non-argument composed of statements that express the personal conviction of a speaker or writer without giving any evidence in support of that conviction
Llosely associated statements
statements that are about the same general subject and that lack an inferential relationship
report
a kind of non-argument consisting of one or more statements that convey information about some topic or event
expository passage
a kind of discourse that begins with a topic sentence followed by one or more sentences that develop the topic sentence
illustration
an expression involving one or more examples that is intended to show what something means or how it is done
arguments from example
an argument that purports to prove something by giving one or more examples of it
explanation
an expression that purports to shed light on some event or phenomenon
explanandum
the component of an explanation that describes the event or phenomenon to be explained
explanans
the component of an explanation that explains the event or phenomenon indicated by the explanandum
conditional statement
an "if...then" statement
antecedent
the component of a conditional statement immediately following the word "if
consequent
the component of a conditional statement immediately following the word "then"; the component of a conditional statement that is not the antecedent
particular statement
A statement that makes a claim about one or more (but not all) members of a class
general statement
A statement that makes a claim about all the members of a class
prediction
An inductive argument that proceeds from knowledge of some event in the relative past to a claim about some other event in the relative future
argument from analogy
An inductive argument that depends on the existence of a similarity between two things or states of affairs
generalization
An inductive argument that proceeds from the knowledge of a selected sample to some claim about the whole group
argument from authority
An inductive argument in which the conclusion rests on the statement made by some presumed authority or witness
argument based on signs
An inductive argument that proceeds from the knowledge of a sign to a claim about the things or situation that the sign symbolizes
casual inference
An inductive inference that proceeds from knowledge of a cause to a claim about an effect, or from knowledge of an effect to a claim about a cause
argument from definition
A deductive argument in which the conclusion is claimed to depend merely on the definition of some word or phrase used in the premise or conclusion
categorical Syllogism
A syllogism in which all three statements are categorical propositions
hypothetical syllogism
A syllogism having a conditional statement for one or both of its premises
disjunctive syllogism
A syllogism having a disjunctive statement for one or both of its premises. (2) a valid argument form/rule of inference: "p or q/ not p//q
argument based on mathematics
A deductive argument in which the conclusion depends on some purely arithmetic or geometric computation or measurement
deductive argument
An argument incorporation the claim that it is impossible for the conclusion to be false given that the premises are true
inductive argument
An argument incorporation the claim that it is improbable that the conclusion is false given that the premises are true
necessary condition
The condition represented by the consequent in a conditional statement
sufficient condition
the condition represented by the antecedent in a conditional statement
valid deductive argument
An argument in which it is impossible for the conclusion to be false given that the premises are true
invalid deductive argument
A deductive argument in which it is possible for the conclusion to be false given that the premises are true
strong inductive argument
An inductive argument in which it is improbable that the conclusion be false given that the premises are true
sound argument
a deductive argument that is valid and has all true premises
unsound argument
a deductive argument that is invalid, has one or more false premises, or both
weak inductive argument
An inductive argument in which the conclusion does not follow probably from the premises even though it is claimed to do so
cogent argument
An inductive argument that is strong and has all true premises
uncogent argument
An inductive argument that is weak, has one or more false premises, or both
substitution instance
An argument or statement that has the same form as a given argument form or statement form
counterexample method
A method for proving invalidity; consists in constructing a substitution instance having true premises and false conclusion