Chapter 1 - Basic Concepts
Argument - a collection of statements, in which at least one functions as a premise, and at least one functions as a conclusion.
Statement/ Proposition - that which is asserted and is either true or false.
Truth Value - a statement is said to carry a truth value, it is either true or false.
Premise - a statement in an argument that is said to give evidence for or support for another statement in the argument, called a conclusion.
Conclusion - a statement in an argument that is said to be derived or inferred from some other statement in the argument, called a premise.
Inference - the process of thought by which one draws conclusions from premises.
Deductive Argument - the premises are intended to offer necessary grounds for the truth of the conclusion and the conclusion does not go beyond the information contained in the premises.
Valid Argument - a deductive argument where it is impossible for the premises to be true and the conclusion false.
Sound Argument - a valid deductive argument with true premises.
Necessary - a circumstance in whose absence a specified event can not occur.
Sufficient - a circumstance in whose presence a specified event must occur.
Inductive Argument - the premises are intended to offer probable grounds for the truth of the conclusion and the conclusion goes beyond the information contained in the premises.
Cogent Argument - a strong inductive argument with true premises.
Logic - the clarification of the meaning of the language (McGruder's broad definition).
Logic - the organized body of knowledge, or art/science, that evaluates arguments (Textbook's narrow definition).
Logic - the science of necessary inference (Quine's).
Analysis - the process of breaking a argument/concept down into more simple parts, so that its logical srtructure is displayed.
Critical Thinking - the assesments of strengths and weakness of anything.
Chapter 2 - Language: Meaning and Definition
Term - is any word or arrangement of words that may serve as the subject of a statement.
Intension - the attributes or characteristics of the objects in a word's or term's extension (same as connotation).
Increasing Intension - when the number of attributes needed in order to be included in a set are increased, thus reducing the number of objects in that set.
Connotation - the attributes or characteristics of the object denoted.
Denotation - that which a word or term refers to; the actual things referred to.
Extension - the set of all and only these objects referred to (same as denotation but more precise).
Empty Extension - a term that has meaning but denotes nothing. Examples: Apollo, Dionysus, Hermes, Zeus, unicorn, elf.
Ambiguous - when a word or phrase has more than one meaning and the context in which it is being used does not make clear which meaning is intended.
Vague - although the meaning of the word or phrase is known, it is not clear if it can be applied in a given instance.
Values - assessments of worth.
Chapter 3 - Informal Fallacies
Fallacy - (in general) is a defect in an argument that consist in something other than false premises.
Formal Fallacy - (deductive) is one that may be identified by merely examining the form or structure of an argument.
Informal Fallacies - (inductive) are those that can be detected only by examining the content of the argument.
Chapter 6 - Propositional Logic
Not the Case That - the opposite truth value.
And - both.
Or - one or the other or both, but not neither.
If/Then - the antecedent is sufficient for the consequent.
If and Only If - equivalence.
Some - at least one.
Necessary - a circumstance in whose absence a specified event can not occur.
Sufficient - a circumstance in whose presence a specified event must occur.
| Last Updated: 10/19/22 |