Index

1. Introducing Arguments

This is a basic introduction about what arguments are. It covers simple and complex sentences and statements, as well as introducing premises and conclusions. This article also explains what inferences are, introduces conjunctions, and touches on the topics of hidden premises and implied conclusions.
Article – Video – Sample Questions – FDR Thread

2. Conditionals and Modal Expressions

This article covers the basics of conditionals, and introduces disjunctions including the different meanings of the word ‘or‘. There is also a discussion of modal expressions, outlining the problems they can create and showing three different ways that they are commonly used. Definitions of necessary and contingent truths are also included.
Article – Video – Sample Questions – FDR Thread

3. Standardising Arguments

Standardising arguments is a method to help you translate an argument in natural language into its logical order, so that you can see how it is working. This article teaches that premise, and talks about common mistakes that are made; the all-purpose premise and begging the question. There is also a brief discussion of how premises can support conclusions in different ways; being linked or convergent.
Article – Video – Sample Questions – FDR Thread

4. Support and Validity

Support and validity are central concepts when talking about arguments in any way. This article discusses how to evaluate the support an argument’s premises give to its conclusion, and introduces the special case of complete support; deductive validity. Contradictions are also introduced, as well as the different ways that contradictions can appear.
Article – Video – Sample Questions – FDR Thread

5. Formal Logic

A very brief overview of what formal logic is in comparison to what these articles have been talking about so far which could be described as informal logic. There is a very simplified look at the history of syllogistic logic and an explanation of what formal logic is about and how it has been developed through to today.
Article – Video – FDR Thread

6. Truth and Acceptability

This article describes how to evaluate premises in an argument. The acceptability of premises is distinct from their truth, and here I discuss why this is, as well as what constitutes an acceptable premise and what does not. a priori and a posteriori truths are also introduced, as well as what provisional premises are and how they differ in requirement and use from regular premises.
Article – Video – Sample Questions – FDR Thread

7. Soundness and Cogency

Here the concepts of truth and acceptability, support and validity are combined to allow us to evaluate arguments as a whole. Soundness and cogency are introduced as the orthodox and unorthodox ideas of what a ‘good’ argument is. Refutation is also introduced.
Article – Video – Sample Questions – FDR Thread