Argumentation Concepts and Types of Truth

Argumentation Concepts

• Argument: A series of statements aimed at persuading someone that a particular claim is true.
• Claims: Statements requiring examination for truthfulness.
• Beliefs: Convictions not easily supported by facts.
• Opinions: Views expressed on specific matters or issues.
• Facts: Statements recognized as real or true.
• Conclusion: A judgment derived from specific facts.
• Explanation: Statements assuming the truth of a claim and providing supporting reasons.
• Bias: Tendencies that influence individual perspectives.
• Fallacy: Arguments founded on flawed reasoning.
• Knowledge: Defined as “justified true belief,” indicating clear awareness of a subject.

Types of Truth

• Empirical Truth (a posteriori): Determined through sensory experience.

  • Example: Observing a table inside a classroom.

• Rational Truth (a priori): Established through reasoning.

  • Example: Generalizing about humans based on known characteristics; Ana is human, hence has mammary glands.

• Synthetic Truth: Extends knowledge beyond existing understanding.

  • Example: Identifying the color of a brown table adds to prior knowledge.

• Analytic Truth: True by virtue of their meaning alone.

  • Example: “A triangle has three sides” is inherently true based on the definition of a triangle.

• Contingent Truth: True only under certain conditions.

  • Example: A statement regarding the color of a table depends on the situation; it may not hold if circumstances change.

• Necessary Truth: Always true under any circumstances, factual in nature.

• Subjective Truth: Truth that relies on personal or group attitudes and preferences, often associated with value judgments.

• Objective Truth: Factual and independent of personal beliefs.

• Universal Truth: Accepted by everyone, reflecting objective truths.

• Relative Truth: Acknowledged as truth by particular individuals or groups, reflecting subjective perspectives.

Logical Fallacies

• Ad Hominem: Attacks the individual rather than their argument.

  • Example: Dismissing someone's opinion based on their background.

• Ad Baculum (Appeal to Force): Uses threats to persuade.

  • Example: Imposing consequences for disagreement.

• Ad Misericordiam (Appeal to Pity): Appeals to emotional responses, such as sympathy.

  • Example: Highlighting personal hardship to sway opinions.

• Ad Populum (Bandwagon): Suggests an idea is valid because many accept it.

  • Example: Peer pressure to conform to social norms.

• Ad Antiquitatem (Appeal to Tradition): Accepts ideas as valid simply because they've existed for long.

  • Example: Arguments against gay marriage founded on traditional views.

• Ad Verecundiam (Appeal to Authority): Misuses authority figures to validate claims.

  • Example: Citing a well-known figure to validate a poorly supported argument.

• Fallacy of Composition: Assumes what’s true for a part is true for the whole.

  • Example: Assuming a building's weight based on individual brick weight.

• Fallacy of Division: Assumes what’s true for the whole must be true for its parts.

  • Example: Generalizing based on the reputation of a family.

Explore key concepts related to argumentation such as claims, beliefs, and fallacies. This quiz also delves into the different types of truth including empirical and rational truths, providing examples for better understanding. Test your knowledge and comprehension of these fundamental ideas in reasoning and argumentation.