Premises & Conclusion

Meaning
• Premises: Reasons given in order to
support the conclusion.

• Conclusion: Final decision based on

premises.
 Argument

Argument = Premises + Conclusion

 Purpose of Arguments
• To Convince or Persuade

• Arguments are statements that are true or false

-- which are offered for a specific purpose,
namely to convince or persuade a listener or
reader.
Examples of some convincing Activities
• Parents and friends try to convince us to
take better care of our health
• advertisers try to convince us to buy their
products
• political candidates attempt to persuade us
on how to vote.
Purpose of Arguments (conti.)
• While arguments are intended to convince,
this does not mean that all attempts to
convince are arguments.
 Conclusion indicators and
premise indicators

• Indicators : Key-words, which, if used

properly, indicate a conclusion or a
premise.
 Common Conclusion
• Therefore… Indicators
• Consequently…
• Hence...
• So…
• Thus…
• In conclusion…
• Accordingly…
• It follows that…
• As a result…
• It suggests that…
• It demonstrates that…
• It proves that…
 Common Premise Indicators
• Because…
• Since…
• In light of…
• Whereas…
• Given that…
• For the reason that…
• For…
 Identify Premises & Conclusion
Example
1. You do want to find a good job. So you
should be hardworking.

Premise: You do want to find a good job.

Conclusion: So you should be hardworking.
2. Doctors earn a lot of money.
I want to earn a lot of money.
I should become a doctor.

Premise 1: Doctors earn a lot of money.

Premise 2: I want to earn a lot of money.
Conclusion : I should become a doctor.
• 3. You cannot step twice in the same river,
for others waters are ever flowing on to
you.

Premise: others waters are ever flowing on to you.

Conclusion: You cannot step twice in the same river.
4. Many just persons are affiliated in this
world, which is unjust. Therefore not in
every work of God are justice and mercy.

Premise: Many just persons are affiliated in this world,

which is unjust.
Conclusion: Not in every work of God are justice and
mercy.
5. There is no definitive way to prove any
one set of religious beliefs to the exclusion
of all others. For that reason religious
freedom is a human right.

Premise: There is no definitive way to prove any one

set of religious beliefs to the exclusion of all others.
Conclusion: Religious freedom is a human right.
6. Since pain is a state of consciousness, a
“mental event,” it can never be directly
observed.

Premises: pain is a state of consciousness, a “mental

event
Conclusion: Pain can never be directly observed.
7. Business is the art of growth. Growth is
the essence of life. And so business is the
art of life.

Premise 1: Business is the art of growth.

Premise 2: Growth is the essence of life.
Conclusion: Business is the art of life.
8. Science is based on experiment, on a
willingness to challenge old dogma, on an
openness to see the universe as it really is.
Accordingly, science some-time requires
courage - at the very least the courage to
question the conventional wisdom.

Premise: Science is based on experiment, on a

willingness to challenge old dogma, on an openness to
see the universe as it really is.
Conclusion: Science some-time requires courage - at
the very least the courage to question the conventional
wisdom.
9. Do not play your sound system loudly as
you may not be able to hear warning
sirens from emergency vehicles. In
addition, hearing damage from loud noise
is almost undetectable until it’s too late.

Premise 1: You may not be able to hear warning

sirens from emergency vehicles.
Premise 2: Hearing damage from loud noise is
almost undetectable until it’s too late.
Conclusion: Do not play your sound system loudly.
10. You know how I know animals have
souls? Because on average the lowest
animal is a lot nicer and kinder than most
of the human beings that inhabit this earth.

Premise: The lowest animal is a lot nicer and kinder

than most of the human beings that inhabit this
earth.
Conclusion: Animals have souls.