Argument: An argument is a sequence of two or more phrases,
clauses, sentences or statements which includes a claim or a conclusion. This
conclusion is arrived at with the help of one or more than one statement which
may be called premise or preposition. The argument also takes the help of some
hidden premises which may be called assumptions. Following example will clear
your doubts.
Example: The grass is wet, it must have been drizzling.
Comments: In the foregoing
example, the argument proposes a conclusion that “it must have been drizzling”.
This conclusion is arrived at with the help of the supporting evidence or
premise that “ The grass was wet”, This conclusion and the premise are
connected by assumption (indirect, hidden) that “The grass becomes wet only when
it drizzle.”
Premise: The grass is wet.
Assumption (also known as hidden premise): The grass become wet
only when there is drizzling. “
Conclusion: It must have drizzled.
The number of premises can be
more than one as following:
Example: If Raghav reads newspaper
, Mohit also reads newspaper. If Mohit reads newspaper, Soniya also reads
newspaper. If Soniya reads newspaper, Seema also reads newspaper. If Seema
reads newspaper, Suneel also reads newspaper.
Raghav reads newspaper.
So, Suneel also reads newspaper.
Comments: Here, the first five
sentences provide premises. The last sentence provides the conclusion.
Obviously, here, there is no hidden assumption as there is no missing links in
the argument works.
Steps :
·
Differentiate between the premises and the
conclusion.
·
Identify the assumption made.
·
Understand the logic of arguments
Identifying the conclusion: A typical passage usually places its
conclusion at the end
