Premises

The Foundation of Arguments

• Premises are statements or propositions that provide reasons or evidence to support a conclusion in an argument .
• They act as the starting point for logical reasoning.

Types of Premises

• Explicit Premises: Clearly stated within the argument.
• Implicit Premises: Assumptions that are unstated but necessary for the argument's logic to hold.

Evaluating Premises

• Truth: Are the premises factually accurate? Can they be supported with evidence?
• Relevance: Do the premises directly relate to and support the conclusion being drawn?
• Acceptability: Would a reasonable person accept these premises as a basis for the argument?

Identifying Premises in Arguments

Look for indicator words and phrases like:

• "Since..."
• "Because..."
• "For the reason that..."
• "Given that..."

Your Notes and Reflections

• Practice identifying premises in various arguments (news articles, debates, etc.).
• Consider: Are the premises clearly stated or implied? Are they strong or weak?
• When constructing your own arguments, pay careful attention to the strength and clarity of your premises.

Linked Pages

• Logic
• Argument Analysis
• Validity
• Soundness

Further Reading

• [Add relevant texts on logic and argumentation]

Let me know if you'd like help analyzing arguments and dissecting their premises, or if you want to discuss how to build strong arguments with sound premises!