Types of arguments

Page 1

Deductive Arguments - If the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true

Example:

P1) Socrates is a Man

P2) All men are mortal

C) Socrates is mortal

A valid deductive argument with true premises, like the one above, is called sound.

However, a valid deductive argument doesn't have to have true premises

Example:

P1) There are gnomes in my house

P2) My house is in Oxford

C) Therefore, there are gnomes in Oxford

Here, the first premise is false however, the conclusion is still correct - so the argument is still valid its just not sound.

Page 2

Inductive Arguments - collected instances of evidence are used to come to a general conclusion

Example:

Every chicken we've seen in this area has been brown. Therefore, all chickens in this area must be brown.

Page 3

Abductive Arguments - considering multiple hypothesises in a situation and then using the most suitable one to come to a conclusion

Example:

When I went outside this morning , ,