 Monty Python – Argument Clinic video  Monty Python Monty Python

 Argument – a group of statements including one or more premises and a conclusion  Premise – a statement in an argument that provides reason or support for the conclusion  Conclusion – a statement that says what the argument is trying to prove

 Cats with long hair shed all over the house so you should not get a long- haired cat. I have heard that they also have lots of fleas. › Premise 1:Long-haired cats shed all over the house › Premise 2: Long-haired cats have a lot of fleas › Conclusion: You should not get a long haired cat

 Premises are not always directly stated, sometimes they are implied  Example: › Of course he is dumb, he is a human. › Premise 1: He is a human. › Premise 2 (implied): All humans are dumb. › Conclusion: He is dumb.

 We use reasoning to figure out problems.

 Inductive reasoning – conclusions are drawn based on limited information › Educated guess  Example: › 2,4,6,8,10  What comes next in the sequence? › If a child puts his or her hand into a bag of candy and withdraws three pieces, all of which are red, he or she may conclude that all the candy is red.

 Observation: Tonya is seen walking from her car to her home with a set of golf clubs.  Observation: Tonya’s husband Jeff loves golf and tomorrow is his birthday.  Conclusion (inference): Tonya has bought the set of golf clubs for Jeff.

 Deductive reasoning – conclusions are drawn based on logic and fact › Science: If… then… statements are how you test hypotheses › If it is snowing outside, then the temperature must be near freezing.

 Known Fact: The cut-off date for swim camp registration is June 15. After that date, kids go on a wait list - no exceptions allowed.  Known Fact: You have missed the cut-off to date to register your child by two days.  Conclusion: Your child won’t be registered and her name will go on the wait list.

 Inductive reasoning can sometimes lead to FALSE conclusions  BUT it is a good first step in applying deductive reasoning to determine whether a conclusion is true.  What?? › In math, you sometimes solve problems through inductive reasoning (educated guess) and then check your answer (deductive reasoning).

 Inductive: moves from the specific to the general › Small to big › Example:  All crows I have ever seen are black. Therefore, all crows are black.  All ice I have ever touched is cold. Therefore, all ice is cold.

 Sometimes inductive arguments can lead to a false conclusion, making it an INVALID argument. › Ex: › Some dogs are ill-behaved. › All dogs are animals. › Therefore, all animals are ill behaved.

 Deductive: begins with the general and ends with the specific › Big to small › Example  All men are mortal.  My father is a man.  Therefore, my father is a mortal.