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How to Argue About Stuff Logically & Make People Think You’re Right

How to Argue About Stuff Logically & Make People Think You’re Right. Why Argue (Well )? Argument vs. Contradiction Get stuff you want or need Solve problems Help people understand you better. An argument is: A series of premise s that Add up to a conclusion.

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How to Argue About Stuff Logically & Make People Think You’re Right

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  1. How to Argue About Stuff Logically & Make People Think You’re Right

  2. Why Argue (Well)? • Argument vs. Contradiction • Get stuff you want or need • Solve problems • Help people understand you better

  3. An argument is: • A series of premises that • Add up to a conclusion

  4. Premise: A statement that is either true or false. • Examples: • Gorillas are pink. • The earth has a soft marshmallow core. • Tuesday is the best day to get your back shaved. • Anteaters prefer crème brulee. • Sponge Bob’s birth name was Norma Jean Butts.

  5. To make an argurment, combine premises like so: Example: Gorillas are pink………………………… (premise 1) and Pink things are soft ‘n’ cuddly…………. (premise 2) therefore ……………………………….. (inference) Gorillas are soft ‘n’ cuddly……………... (conclusion)

  6. A conclusion is really just a new premise you can use in a new argument! This part is called an inference. It’s where you use logic to combine two premises into a brand new premise. (When two premises love each other very much, they have a special hug and they make a NEW premise!) Example: Gorillas are pink. and Pink things are soft ‘n’ cuddly. therefore Gorillas are soft ‘n’ cuddly.

  7. To win an argument: • Convince your audience that your premises are true • Convince your audience that your conclusion is valid (logically follows from your premise)

  8. Gorillas are pink. and Pink things are soft ‘n’ cuddly. therefore Gorillas are soft ‘n’ cuddly. What could be wrong with this argument?

  9. Gorillas are pink. and Pink things are soft ‘n’ cuddly. therefore Gorillas are soft ‘n’ cuddly. Are the premises true? Does the conclusion follow, logically?

  10. Gorillas are pink. and Pink things are soft ‘n’ cuddly. therefore Gorillas are soft ‘n’ cuddly. The Technical Terms: False premise = Argument is not “sound” False conclusion = Argument is not “valid” (Invalid arguments use some sort of logical fallacy.)

  11. Now, you practice! • Outline an argument: • Come up with two or more related premises • By inference, draw a conclusion from the premises. • Hand it left! • Label the premises and conclusion. • Analyze! State whether the premises are true (sound) and the conclusion is logical (valid). Explain why or why not.

  12. Example 1. My last name is Butts. (premise) 2. I am descended from the Royal Duke, His Eminent Highness Seymore Butts, Earl of Patoots. (premise) 3. Butts is a royal surname. (premise) 4. People admire royalty. (premise) therefore People will admire me when they discover my last name is Butts. (conclusion) Analysis: Premises 1, 3, and 4 are true. Premise 2 is false: I am not an actual descendent of Duke Butts, for my father was actually the bastard love child of Duchess Butts and the Earl of Weiner. The argument seems valid logically, but because there is a false premise, it is not sound.

  13. valid = logical conclusion sound = true premises + logical conclusion • Now, you practice! • Outline an argument: • Come up with two or more related premises • By inference, draw a conclusion from the premises. • Hand it left! • Label the premises and conclusion. • Analyze! State whether the premises are true (sound) and the conclusion is logical (valid). Explain why or why not.

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