Argument
A set of premises offered in support of a Conclusion.
Why offer arguments instead of just asserting?
The point is rational persuasion: giving someone reasons to accept the conclusion, not browbeating or tricking them.
- Argument: tries to establish a conclusion (the conclusion is in question)
- Explanation: takes the conclusion as given and tries to say why it holds
Same surface form
“X because Y” can be either; conflating them is a common mistake.
A good argument has:
- Valid form (or cogent for ampliative ones)
- True premises
- No fallacies
- Good faith engagement (see Principle of Charity)
See Standard Form (Argument) and Argument Diagram for standardizing techniques.