What is an Argument?
Argument is a structured group of propositions which reflect an inference. And the inference is the process of linking propositions by affirming one proposition on the basis of another (one or more) proposition(s).
Propositions are the building blocks of an argument. And inference is the process which ties these building blocks (propositions) together. And to determine the correctness or incorrectness of an inference we examine propositions and their relationship.
Now we can define argument as a group of propositions of which one is claimed to follow from other(s) which are regarded as providing support or grounds for the other.
But it does not mean that argument is a mere collection of propositions. An argument has a structure in the group of propositions, and this structure captures some inferences. This structure uses the terms, premise and conclusion. Conclusion as it is evident by its name is the proposition which we affirm or derive on the basis of other propositions, and these supporting propositions are called premises.
The simplest kind of argument consists on one premise and a conclusion. For example;
The teacher is not coming today.
Therefore there is no class of logic today. Or it can be expressed in a single sentence;
Since the teacher is not coming today, there is no class of logic.
Sometime conclusion precedes its premise. For example;
There is no class of logic today.
Because teacher is not coming.
Just remember that it is not necessary that an argument is always in order where premise precedes conclusion it may be other way round. Also an argument may have more than one premise not necessarily only one or two.
A single proposition can never be an argument it is always a group of propositions which compose an argument. Some compound propositions may resemble an argument but they are not. For example;
If Ali had an umbrella while walking to market then it is likely that Amjad was home.
Now neither the first component of this proposition (if Ali had an umbrella while walking to market) nor the second component (it is likely Amjad was home) is asserted in this hypothetical proposition. It asserts only that the former implies the later, and both could be false. No inference is drawn and no conclusion is claimed to be true. So this is just a hypothetical proposition and not an argument. But if we put it like this;
Amjad was home when it rained because Ali had his umbrella while walking to market.
Now this is an argument because the first component (Amjad was home….) is asserted on the basis of second component (Ali had his umbrella….). the second component is the premise while the first component is the conclusion. Here it is claimed that the first component has been followed from the second one and if the second is true the first must be true.
So hypothetical propositions may look like, sometimes, arguments but it never can be an argument and the two should not be confused.
Argument is a structured group of propositions which reflect an inference. And the inference is the process of linking propositions by affirming one proposition on the basis of another (one or more) proposition(s).
Propositions are the building blocks of an argument. And inference is the process which ties these building blocks (propositions) together. And to determine the correctness or incorrectness of an inference we examine propositions and their relationship.
Now we can define argument as a group of propositions of which one is claimed to follow from other(s) which are regarded as providing support or grounds for the other.
But it does not mean that argument is a mere collection of propositions. An argument has a structure in the group of propositions, and this structure captures some inferences. This structure uses the terms, premise and conclusion. Conclusion as it is evident by its name is the proposition which we affirm or derive on the basis of other propositions, and these supporting propositions are called premises.
The simplest kind of argument consists on one premise and a conclusion. For example;
The teacher is not coming today.
Therefore there is no class of logic today. Or it can be expressed in a single sentence;
Since the teacher is not coming today, there is no class of logic.
Sometime conclusion precedes its premise. For example;
There is no class of logic today.
Because teacher is not coming.
Just remember that it is not necessary that an argument is always in order where premise precedes conclusion it may be other way round. Also an argument may have more than one premise not necessarily only one or two.
A single proposition can never be an argument it is always a group of propositions which compose an argument. Some compound propositions may resemble an argument but they are not. For example;
If Ali had an umbrella while walking to market then it is likely that Amjad was home.
Now neither the first component of this proposition (if Ali had an umbrella while walking to market) nor the second component (it is likely Amjad was home) is asserted in this hypothetical proposition. It asserts only that the former implies the later, and both could be false. No inference is drawn and no conclusion is claimed to be true. So this is just a hypothetical proposition and not an argument. But if we put it like this;
Amjad was home when it rained because Ali had his umbrella while walking to market.
Now this is an argument because the first component (Amjad was home….) is asserted on the basis of second component (Ali had his umbrella….). the second component is the premise while the first component is the conclusion. Here it is claimed that the first component has been followed from the second one and if the second is true the first must be true.
So hypothetical propositions may look like, sometimes, arguments but it never can be an argument and the two should not be confused.
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