Argument Forms

Argument

set of statements which include

the premises and conclusion.

Problem: Determine the validity

of arguments.

Argument

An argument is invalid if all its

premises are true but the

conclusion is false.
Any argument form that is not

invalid is valid.

Argument Forms
So a valid argument is one that has no

substitution instance with true

premises and false conclusion.

Any given argument can be proven

valid if it can be shown that the

specific form of the given argument is
a valid argument form.

Argument Forms

One way of determining the

validity of argument forms is

with the use of truth tables.

Using Truth Tables

To determine the validity of

argument forms, examine all

possible substitution instances to
see if any of them have true
premises and false conclusions.

If so, then the argument is invalid,

otherwise valid.

Examples:

Determine the validity of the argument

forms:

Disjunctive Syllogism (DS)

1.

Examples

Modus Ponens (MP)

2.

~
~
Modus Tollens (MT)

3.

Examples

Hypothetical Syllogism (HS)

4.

Fallacy of Affirming the Consequent

5.

Examples

~
~
Fallacy of Denying the Antecedent

6.

7.

Examples
8.

9.

( )

Examples
10.

( )