The Nature of Argument

Argument
Is a group of proposition in which one proposition
is claimed to follow from the other propositions
which are regarded as providing support or
ground for its truth.
Is composed of conclusion and premise or
premises
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Premise
Is the proposition that is claimed to
provide support or reason for the truth
or probability of the conclusion
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Conclusion
Is the proposition that is claimed to
follow from one or more proposition
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Example
1. No one under eighteen-years-old can vote
2. Jen is under eighteen-years-old
3. Therefore, Jen cannot vote
1 and 2 are premises
3 is the conclusion
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Conclusion and Premise Indicators

Common Conclusion Indicators
Therefore, Implies that, wherefore
Hence, entails that, accordingly
Whence, we may conclude that, consequently
Thus, we may infer that, it follows that
So it must be case that, as a result
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Conclusion and Premise Indicators

Common Premise Indicators
Because, seeing that, in as much
Since, as indicated by, given that
As, for this reason, for the reason that
For, on the basis of this, in that
Owing to, based on the, maybe inferred from
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Forms of conclusion and premise

 The conclusion may be stated before the premise
 It may be sandwiched between premises
 It may be stated at the end of the premises.
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Conclusion is stated first

Conclusion Science students are most likely to pass their subjects.

Premise 1 Science students are bright and diligent students who

can produce scholarly assignments and projects.

Premise 2 They are also well behaved, being pre-occupied more with
studies than leisure and idle talks.
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Conclusion is sandwiched between premises

Premise 1 Anyone familiar with our prison system knows that there
are some inmates who behave little better than brute
beasts.

Conclusion But the very fact that these prisoners exist is a telling
argument against the efficacy of capital punishment as a
deterrent.

Premise 2 If the death penalty had been truly effective as a treatment,

such prisoners would long ago have vanished.
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Conclusion is stated last

Premise 1 All men are rational beings.

Premise 2 While animals, plants and machines are not

Conclusion It follows that only men can reason out.

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argument
Since in American schools every child is unique and of equal worth with every other
child, academic competition, which subverts this egalitarian and individuals creed,
must be discouraged.

Premise 1: In American schools every child is unique and of equal worth with every
other child.
Premise 2: Academic competition subverts this egalitarian and individualist creed.

Conclusion: Academic competition must be discouraged

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argument
A good society treasures its dissidents and mavericks because it needs the creative
thinking that produces new hypotheses, expanded means, a larger set of alternatives,
and, in general, the vigorous conversation induced by fresh ideas.

Premise: A good society needs the creative thinking that produces new hypotheses,
expanded means, a larger set of alternatives, and, in general the vigorous
conversation induced by fresh ideas.

Conclusion: A good society treasures its dissidents and mavericks

 Identify the premise(s) and conclusion in this 14

argument
Research universities also must aggressively support teaching. After all, a significant
percentage of their students are undergraduates, and such institutions are clearly
obligated to provide them a quality education
Premise 1: A significant percentage of research universities students are
undergraduates.
Premise 2: Such institutions are clearly obligated to provide undergraduates with a
quality education.

Conclusion: Research universities also must aggressively support teaching.

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