Arguments
What is a logical argument?
A set of statements, one of which appears to be implied or supported by the others.
What are the three terms in a syllogism?
Major, Minor, Middle
What is the schema of a syllogism?
a representation of a syllogism using standard order and standard abbreviations: minor term (S), major term (P), and middle term (M)
What does it mean that a syllogism is valid?
if and only if the premises imply the conclusion; if the conclusion is necessarily true given that the premises are true
What is an unsound syllogism?
a valid syllogism with false premises
What is a premise?
A statement that supports or implies the conclusion.
Where is the major term found in a conclusion?
In the predicate
What is the mood of a syllogism?
a three-letter description of the types of categorical statements in a syllogism when arranged in standard order using A, E, I, O statements in square of opposition
Can statements in a valid syllogism be false?
Yes, the premises may be false
Can the statements in an invalid syllogism be true?
Yes, the premises can be true, but the conclusion is false, or a true conclusion is not implied by true premises
What are some words that introduce a premise?
since, because, for, given that
Where is the minor term found in a conclusion?
In the subject
What does the figure of a syllogism identify?
the placement of the middle term in a syllogism
What does it mean for a syllogism to be invalid?
a syllogism with true premises but a false conclusion; a syllogism may have true premises and a true conclusion but be invalid because the conclusion is not implied by the premises
How many different forms of syllogisms exist?
There are 256 forms of syllogisms.
the statement that appears to be implied or supported by the premises; the point or terminus (ending) of the argument
Where is the middle term found?
In the premises
How many figures are possible for a syllogism?
There are four possible combinations of figures
What is a sound syllogism?
a valid syllogism with true premises
What is the procedure for arranging a syllogism into standard categorical form?
1. Find the conclusion
2. Find the major term
3. Find the major premise
4. Find the minor premise
5. Write the syllogism out in standard order
What are some words that introduce a conclusion?
What is the standard order for statements in a syllogism?
major premise, minor premise, conclusion
What is the form of a syllogism?
the mood and the figure of a syllogism
What does the validity of a syllogism depend on?
Validity depends on the form of the argument, not whether the premises are actually true
Other than clue words for a conclusion, how else may a conclusion be identified?
When the statement is followed by a clue word for a premise.