Reasoning and Arguments

 

Reasoning is a process by which the mind, unable pronounce upon the agreement or to disagreement of two ideas, resolves the difficulty and reaches pronouncement by bringing in a third idea which it knows in relation to the first two(Glenn, 1957).

 

For example: oak and plant Tree can be the third idea since it is related to both oak and plant . It is known that an oak is a tree . It is also known that trees are plants . Thus, through the third idea tree , judgment with regard to oak and plant can now be reachedrea ched- through through a proc process ess call called ed reasoning .

 

All trees are plants. An oak is a tree. Therefore, an oak is a plant.

 

Reasoning maybe inductive or deductive , depending on whether it proceeds from the particular to the universal or vice versa.

 

Involves proceeding from individual or particular data to a general or universal conclusion ( Reyes,1988). Examples: My pencil fell earthward. My book fell earthward. The stone fell earthward. The bag fell earthward. Therefore, all material objects fall earthward.

 

Entails proceeding from universal data to a particular and individual conclusion (Reyes, 1988). Examples: All birds are animals. The parrot is a bird. Therefore, the parrot is an animal.

 

No brute can really laugh. The laughing hyena is a brute. Therefore, the laughing hyena cannot really laugh.

 

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In the study of logic and critical thinking, an argument is a group of truth-claims of which one (called the conclusion) is supported by others (called premises), which are intended or understood to provide support (evidence) for that one truth-claim. Logicians use terms proposition, statement, and assertion when referring to truth-claims (Barry, 1998).

 

The basic elements of an argument are the premise and conclusion .

 

Are the support statements. They are usually flagged by indicators such as these. Examples: since as indicated by because the reason is that for for the reason that whereas as

may be inferred from may be derived from

 

follows from as shown in as much as

may be deduced from in view of the fact that as evidenced by

 

Is the statement being supported. It is usually flagged by indicators. therefore hence th us

it follows that we may infer I conclude that

so accordingly

which shows that which means that

 

in consequence proves that as a result

which entails that which allows as to infer which points to the conclusion that

 

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To asses the worth of the arguments, only 2 aspects aspe cts nee need d to be c conside onsidered red ,viz ,viz , the truth truth of the premises up to the conclusion. Only deductive arguments may be assessed as valid or invalid. In deductive arguments are assessed as strong (or weak) and correct (or incorrect), but not as valid or invalid.

 

1

Truth: a property of propositions and not of arguments. If a propositions is true, it labelled as “true”

2

Validity: a property of deductive propositions and not of arguments(and not of deductive arguments). If a deductive argument has a good structure, it is termed “correct” or “strong”(and not “valid” or “true”).

 

3 Soundness: a property of deductive arguments. A deductive argument is “sound” when it is valid and all it is valid and all its propositions are true.