Stages of an Argument
- Introduction to Fallacies
- Stages of an Argument
- Deductive & Inductive Arguments
In order to catch bad arguments (fallacies), you should understand the three stages of an argument:
1. Premise
Arguments begin with introductory statements. It is the initial evidence to support an argument. This is called the “premise”. The premise usually contains two or more statements.2. Inference
All the introductory evidence of the premise should hint, imply, or lead to a certain conclusion. The process of getting a conclusion from the premise is called “inference”.3. Conclusion
The premise and inference together should ultimately support or prove the argument. This is appropriately called the “conclusion”.
Fallacies are simply the misuse of one of the above parts of an argument; they have a false or misleading premise, inference, or conclusion.
Related Content:
- Deductive & Inductive Arguments
Arguments can be divided into two categories: Deductive and Inductive. Deductive Arguments A deductive argument is an argument where the conclusion is certainly true. The...
- Introduction to Fallacies
“Fallacy” is the term used to describe bad arguments employed in a debate or discussion. They are arguments that may seem true, but really don’t...
