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Arguments

Definition 1
An argument is a compound proposition of the form (p1 ∧ p2 ∧ p3 ∧ . . . ∧ pn ) → q. The
propositions p1 , p2 , . . . , pn are the premises of the argument, and q is the conclusion.
Arguments can also be written in column or standard form:

p1
p2
..
.
pn

∴ q

Definition 2
An argument is valid if all its premises are true implies that the conclusion is true. Other-
wise, we say that the argument is invalid or a fallacy.

A symbolic argument consists of a set of premises and a conclusion. It is called symbolic

argument because we generally write it in symbolic form to determine its validity.

Procedure to determine whether a symbolic argument is valid or invalid

1. Determine the simple propositions of the given argument.

2. Write the argument in symbolic form.

3. Write the conditional statement of the form:

(p1 ∧ p2 ∧ . . . ∧ pn ) → q

4. Construct a truth table for the statement in Step 3.

5. If the truth table results in a tautology, then the argument is valid. Otherwise, we conclude
that the argument is invalid.

Example 1. Determine whether the following argument is valid or invalid.

1. If Antonio and Berto are friends, then they are Facebook friends.
They are not friends.
∴ They are not Facebook friends.
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2. If my laptop battery is dead, then I use my home computer.

If I use my home computer, then my kids will play outside.
∴ If my laptop battery is dead, then my kids will play outside.

3. If Donna has a pet, then Donna owns a snail.

Donna owns a snail or Donna drives a truck.
Donna drives a truck or Donna has a pet.
∴ Donna has a pet.

Syllogistic arguments, also known as syllogism, are arguments that use the quantifiers all are,
some are, none are, and some are not.

Words or phrases used Method of determining validity

Symbolic arguments and, or, not, if-then, if and only if Truth tables
Syllogistic arguments all are, some are, none are, some are not Euler diagrams

Euler Diagrams

Procedure to determine whether a syllogistic argument is valid or invalid

Draw the Euler diagram so that the conclusion does not necessarily follow from the premises.

1. If that can be done, then the conclusion does not necessarily follow from the premises and
the argument is invalid.

2. If we cannot show that the argument is invalid, only then do we accept the argument as
valid.
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Example 2.

1. All ballerinas are athletic.

John Cena is athletic.
∴ John Cena is a ballerina

2. No parrots eat chicken.

Luffy does not eat chicken.
∴ Luffy is a parrot.

3. No cowboys drink lemonade.

All debutantes drink lemonade.
∴ No cowboys are debutantes.

4. All squares are rhombi.

All rhombi are parallelograms.
All parallelograms are quadrilaterals.
∴ All squares are quadrilaterals.

5. All country singers play the guitar.

All country singers play the drums.
Some people who play the guitar are rock singers.
∴ Some country singers are rock singers.