Name: Herrera, Danica Mae H.

Subject: Logic & Critical

Thinking
Yr./Sec.: BSN-2B Instructor: Ms. Vernie Mercado

KNOWLEDGE SYNTHESIS

From the readings that I have perused, I was able to identify new vital information that
helped me understand more about the learning material. One of them is the two significant
components of an argument, particularly the premise and the conclusion. A premise in an
argument supports the conclusion. It includes details that persuade the readers or listeners that
the argument is sound. On the other hand, a conclusion in an argument provides a certain
perspective and a main point to convince the audience that the argument is accurate. For
instance, "Bananas are rich in nutrients. Therefore, bananas are good for the body." In this
argument, the phrase "Bananas are rich in nutrients" is the premise, while the phrase "Therefore,
bananas are good for the body" is the conclusion. The arguer is trying to persuade the audience
that bananas are good for the body, supported by a premise that bananas are rich in nutrients. In
other words, the premise provides evidence to convince the audience to believe and accept the
conclusion.

Another information that I gleaned from the readings is that conclusions can be used as
premises. It usually happens if there is an ambivalent premise in argument. Supporting that kind
of statement makes the premise becomes the conclusion of another argument. For instance, the
argument is “Banana is rich in fibers, which helps prevent constipation. Therefore, it is good for
the body.” The first premise is the statement “Banana is rich in fibers” and the first conclusion is
the phrase “which helps prevent constipation.” However, it functions as a premise to the second
conclusion supporting that banana is good for the body.

Aside from the mentioned above, I have also read about the two kinds of arguments
particularly the deductive and inductive arguments. To summarize the difference between the
two, deductive arguments start from general premises to specific conclusions. For instance,
“Danica is BSN. All BSN are students. Therefore, Danica is a student.” On the other hand,
inductive arguments go from specific premises to general conclusions. For instance, “Danica is
BSN. She is a student. Therefore, all BSN are students.” Between the two, deductive arguments
provide more accurate conclusions than inductive argument most especially if the premises are
true. Same with deductive arguments, inductive arguments might have accurate conclusion also,
but it might also provide false conclusion.

In addition, I also read regarding the pictures not being considered as an argument. I have
also mentioned that an argument has two major parts which is the premise and the conclusion.
Since pictures are not arguments, therefore, it is also neither premises nor conclusions since these
two parts must be in a declarative. Moreover, a picture may be able to be used as facts, but an
image is incapable of standing independently as a statement. It can provide a claim, but does not
have enough evidence to be challenged.

For the fifth information, I have read that “If…then…” sentences are also not considered
as arguments. One example is the sentence “If you like it, then get it.” Neither of the two phrases
in the sentence can be a premise nor a conclusion. The whole sentence could be a premise or a
conclusion. However, it cannot be an argument, because we must remember that an argument
consists of two significant parts, particularly the premise and the conclusion. Therefore, “If…
then…” sentences are just statements, not arguments.