University:
Missouri State University
Course:
PHI 105 | Critical Thinking
Academic year:

2024
Views:

299

Pages:

1
Author:

Kolten Khan

DIAGRAMMING ARGUMENTS DEPENDENT AND INDEPENDENT PREMISES What makes an argument an argument is its structure. In other words, what makes an argument an argument is the fact that at least one of its claims gives evidence for the truth or falsity of another. We can represent the structure of the argument using simple diagrams representing: 1) The individual claims and 2) The relationship between the claims (which claim supports which claim) All snakes hatch from eggs. Therefore, coral snakes hatch from eggs. (1) → (2) INDEPENDENT PREMISES You should wash your hair more than once a week. If you don’t wash your hair more than once a week you might get lice. If you don’t wash your hair more than once a week it will look bad. If you don’t wash your hair more than once a week it will smell terrible. DEPENDENT PREMISES If you are under four feet tall you cannot ride on the Ferris wheel. Jack is under four feet tall. Therefore, Jack can’t ride on the Ferris wheel. Anyone without type A blood did not kill the boy. Jack does not have type A blood. Therefore, Jack did not kill the boy.