Summary of Understanding Arguments in Critical Thinking

## Introduction Argumentation and critical thinking focus on how to form, identify, and evaluate reasons for beliefs. This guide explains what arguments are, how to spot premises and conclusions, and how to tell arguments apart from other kinds of writing. It emphasizes clear markers, examples, and practical tips you can apply in coursework, debates, and daily reasoning. > **Definition:** A statement is a sentence that can be viewed as either true or false. ## What is a statement? - A **statement** (also called a proposition) is any declarative sentence that is either true or false. - Examples: - "Red is a colour." (true) - "Canada is in South America." (false) - "God does not exist." (controversial) - "Abortion is morally wrong." (controversial) ## What is an argument? - An **argument** is a group of statements in which one or more statements (the premises) are offered as reasons to accept another statement (the conclusion). > **Definition:** An argument is a group of statements, one or more of which (the premises) are claimed to provide support for, or reasons to believe, one of the others (the conclusion). ### Components of an argument 1. **Premises**: Statements offered as evidence or reasons. 2. **Conclusion**: The statement that the premises are intended to support. > **Definition:** Premises are statements in an argument offered as evidence or reasons why we should accept another statement, the conclusion. > **Definition:** The conclusion is the statement in an argument that the premises are intended to prove or support. ## How to recognize an argument vs. non-argument Use this two-step basic test: 1. Is the passage a group of two or more statements? 2. Is one statement claimed or intended to be supported by the others? If yes to both, you usually have an argument. If not, the passage is likely a non-argument (e.g., description, explanation, illustration, report, or command). ### What is not an argument - **Illustrations**: Give examples to clarify a claim, not to provide proof. - Example: "Many wildflowers are edible. For example, daisies and day lilies are delicious in salads." This lists examples, not evidence intended to prove a general inference. - **Explanations**: Aim to show why something is the case, not to establish a conclusion through premises. - **Commands, questions, reports**: These are not arguments on their own. ## Indicator words: clues to premises and conclusions Indicator words often reveal the structure of an argument. ### Common conclusion indicators Therefore, accordingly, entails that, wherefore, we may conclude, hence, thus, it must be that, it follows that, consequently, for this reason, implies that, we may infer, so, as a result - Example: "Tortured prisoners will say anything just to relieve the pain. Consequently, torture is not a reliable method of interrogation." Here "consequently" signals the conclusion. ### Common premise indicators Since, for, seeing that, inasmuch as, because, given that, considering that, as, in view of the fact that, as indicated by, judging from, on account of, may be inferred from, for the reason that, owing to - Example: "Expectant mothers should never use recreational drugs, since the use of these drugs can jeopardize the development of the fetus." "Since" introduces the premise. ## Implicit inferential claims - Sometimes arguments contain no indicator words but still have an inferential relationship. These are **implicit** arguments. - Example: "The genetic modification of food is risky business. Genetic engineering can introduce unintended changes into the DNA of the food-producing organism, and these changes can be toxic to the consumer." The first sentence functions as a conclusion supported by the following statements. ## Practical steps to identify premises and conclusions 1. Read the passage once for general sense. 2. Look for indicator words and punctuation that separate claims. 3. Ask: which statement is being sup