熱血背包客莊ㄟ

Lecture 1- the nature of arguments and how to recognize an argument

by Marianne Talbot, university of Oxford 

@ Critical reasoning 

@ Principle charity 

@ Starting from Monty Python 

Definition of Argument-

1. a set of sentences such that one of them is being said to be true

2.the other(s) are being offered as reason for believing the truth of the one. 

3.keep the consistency 

4.Arguing is something we do with sentences

5.An arguments is a set of sentences, one of which is being asserted.

Ex:

• it is Friday.
• Marianne always wears jeans on Friday. 
• So Marianne will be wearing jeans today.

Conclusion : the sentence being said to be true as you’re arguing for 

Premisses : the sentences being offered as reasons for believing the others.

Combination, 

So Marianne will be wearing jeans today.———conclusion 

1. it is Friday. 

2. Marianne always wears jeans on Friday.———premisses for two 

Set of sentences that are not the arguments might….

@: Have no relation at all between them (counter-cohesion)

@: Have between their relation other than that characterizing on arguments

EX:

• The sea is salt. 
• Therefore Melbourne is in Australia. not an argument. 

Because there is no coherence between two sentences.

Whether it is an argument (or not)

EX1.

Toward lunchtime clouds forms and the sky blackened. Then the storm broke.

(Wrong, because we just say three events, and lack offered reason for others….

Please be careful for the definition of arguments that the other sentences should be offered as reason for another)

EX2.

Since Manchester is north of Oxford and Edinburgh is north of Manchester. Edinburgh is north of Oxford. (YES)

EX3.

Witches float because witches are made of wood and wood float. (YES)

issue objective facts about subjective things

And an assertion is a single sentence (possibly complex) that is being expressed assertive mode.

But be warned : some assertions look very like arguments.

If it’s snowing the mail will be late. This whole sentence is an assertion, but not an argument.

It’s snowing. Thus, the mail will be late. —That an argument. 

(therefore / then are single of entailment to make the sentence an argument while then can not serve the function)

True or false about the assertions 

Only believes and the expression of expressing believes have true or false 

Arguments are neither true nor false, but either good or bad.

Facts made the sentences true or false. Facts just are existed or non-existed 

Three levels : language, thought, and reality 

The pen is red—language, chair has five letters 

The pen’s color is red.—thought, do chair exist because it’s just a concept in mind to regard it as chair for sitting.

The “red” pens— reality, chair is existing in the class

A good conclusion—

1. The conclusion must follow the premisses 
2. The premisses are true

Which is a good argument or bad one

Type1: good (strengthen)— AKA deductive argument

If it is Monday, the lecture will finish at 3:30

It is Monday.

Therefore, the lecture will finish at 3:30 

Type2: bad (weaken)

If it is Monday, the lecture will finish at 3:30

The lecture will finish at 3:30

Therefore, it is Monday.

第一講大概就是介紹一段論證當中，個句子的角色扮演，我們可以知道結論只有一個，而這個結論就是作者認為是對的事情，其他來補助支持這個結論的句子都是前提，因此前提可以很多個，公式就是：Argument= premises + conculsion 

再來就是針對如何判斷是否為argument，定義上，結論與前提兩者必須有關聯性，就是所謂的coherence，兩兩間有強烈的連結，假設鋸子和句子之間沒有任何連結性，我們只能說這些句子都是單一的事件描述，那除了句子跟句子之間的連結，他們的訊號字也是決定是否為argument的關鍵，列如說therefore / thus / consequently......

大概就是如此吧～～

以上來自牛津大學教授上課筆記希望能幫上忙，喜歡，或是不喜歡還是有錯誤，歡迎留言指教，謝謝!!