Lecture 9 reasoning and argument continued: part 2. If p, then q become p if and only if q if it is living, it can grow becomes. Because their truth value is equivalent, and because they mutually imply each other, with biconditional claims one must accept either both premises or neither: mutually interdependent. If you think that it is not wrong to take steroids in order to gain a competitive advantage, then you must think that is not wrong to cheat on a test to obtain a passing grade. To say that one drop of rain is enough for a storm is like saying one grain of sand is enough for a pile. Definitions and word use: definiens & definiendum the word & its definition. Many arguments are actually verbal disputes because terms have not been defined and the interlocutors end up arguing at cross purposes: lexical, stipulative, ostensive & negative. Lexical definition: dictionary definition, captures normal use.
