Chapter 1 Flash Cards

Front 1

Proposition

Back 1

A statement; what is typically asserted using a declarative sentence, and hence always either true or false--although its truth or falsity may be unknown

Front 2

Statement

Back 2

A proposition; what is typically asserted by a declarative sentence, but not the sentence itself. Every statement must be either true or false, although the truth or falsity of a given statement may be unknown

Front 3

Inference

Back 3

A process by which one proposition is arrived at and affirmed on the basis of some other proposition or propositions.

Front 4

Conclusion

Back 4

In any argument, the proposition to which the other propositions in the argument are claimed to give support, or for which they are given as reasons

Front 5

Premises

Back 5

In an argument, the propositions upon which inference is based; the proposition that are claimed to provide grounds or reasons for the conclusion

Front 6

Conclusion Indicator

Back 6

A word or phrase ( such as "therefore" or
"thus") appearing in an argument and usually indicating that what follows it is the conclusion of that argument

Front 7

Premise Indicator

Back 7

In an argument, a word or phrase ( like "because" and "since") that normally signals that what follows it are statements serving as premises

Front 8

Rhetorical Question

Back 8

An utterance used to make a statement, but which, because it is in interrogative form and is therefore neither true nor false, does not literally assert anything

Front 9

Enthymeme

Back 9

An argument that is stated incompletely, the unstated part of it being taken for granted

Front 10

Validity

Back 10

A characteristic of any deductive argument whose premises, if they were all true, would provide conclusive grounds for the truth of its conclusion. Such an argument is said to be valid. Validity is a formal characteristic; it applies only to arguments, as distinguished from truth, which applies to propositions.

Front 11

Deductive Argument

Back 11

One of the two major types of argument traditionally distinguished, the other being the inductive argument. A deductive argument claims to provide conclusive grounds for its conclusion. If it does provide such grounds, it is valid; if it does not, it is invalid.

Front 12

Inductive Argument

Back 12

One of the two major types of argument traditionally distinguished, the other being the deductive argument. An inductive argument claims that its premises give only some degree of probability, but not certainty, to its conclusion.