PHIL 1200 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Deductive Reasoning
Document Summary
Chapter 4- how to evaluate a deductive argument. If a deductive argument succeeds in its aim (conclusion must be true if its premises all are true), that is, if it indeed does establish its conclusion in this way, we call it a valid deductive argument. Invalid deductive argument has this feature: it is not the case that its conclusion must be true if its premises all are true. Examples: every time it rains, without any exception, the roof gets wet. Therefore, necessarily, the roof is getting wet right now. Statements, premises, and conclusions can around be true or false, but arguments cannot. Validity: (another definition) it would not be possible that the premises are all true and yet the conclusion is false. In an invalid argument, it is possible for all the premises to be true when the conclusion is false. Example: fred is a senior in high school. Perform an intuitive test for validity or invalidity.
