CPO-2002 Lecture 5: Lecture 5
Document Summary
Argument a set of logically connected statements, typically in the form of a set of premises and a conclusion. Premise a statement that is presumed to be true within the context of an argument leading to a conclusion. Conclusion a claim that is thought to be supported by the premises. An argument is valid when accepting the premises compels us to accept its conclusion. An argument is invalid if, when we accept the premises, we are free to accept or reject its conclusions. One way to represent an argument is in the form of a categorical syllogism that consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and conclusion. Categorical syllogism consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and conclusion. The major premise is typically a conditional statement such as, (cid:862)if p, the(cid:374) q. (cid:863) The minor premise consists of a claim about either the antecedent or the consequence of the conditional statement.
