PHIL 2260 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Modus Tollens, Modus Ponens, Sample Size Determination

• School: University of Windsor
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHIL 2260
• Professor: Smith

Document Summary

Lecture 2 a brief primer on arguments. Types of arguments: there are 2 importantly different types of arguments: deductive and ampliative arguments, among ampliative arguments there are 3 important subcategories: inductive, abductive and analogical. It is unlikely, but still possible, for all the premises to be acceptable and yet the conclusion false: an invalid cogent argument is good, but it does not take risks. Inductive arguments involve taking a description of some sample and extending that description to items outside the same (ex. 60% of windsor voted ndp so 60% of the country voted ndp): there are 2 important factors unique to evaluating whether an inductive argument is logically strong, sample size, representativeness of sample. Abduction arguments: abduction involves inferring that a theory or proposition is true since that theory or proposition provides the best explanation of some observed phenomena (ex. black holes, sherlock holmes reasoning, genes). Analogical arguments: analogical arguments have an important role in reasoning within the law.