IRRELEVANT PREMISES

N A Z A R D I L N A Z , A K N I E T S A G Y N D Y K K Y Z Y , A T AY
AIZHAN
 PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES

At the end of this presentation, you will be able to:

• explaine what is the irrelevant premise
• use premise in a sentence
• put irrelevant in a sentence
• write a good premise
WHAT IS AN IRRELEVANT PREMISE?

A premise in an
argument is irrelevant if
the truth or falsity of the
premise has no bearing
whatsoever on the
question of whether or
not the conclusion is
true.
 Irrelevant premises, in simple terms, are pieces of
information or arguments that don't really have anything
to do with the main point of a conversation or argument.
They are like distractions that don't help us make a good
decision or reach a valid conclusion.
 WHAT QUESTIONS ARISE FOR
IRRELEVANT PREMISES ?

When considering
irrelevant premises in a
discussion or argument,
several questions can
arise to help you
identify, address, or
understand the issue.
 HERE ARE SOME COMMON QUESTIONS
THAT MAY COME UP:

• Is this relevant?
• How does this connect to the
main point?
• What is the main point?
• Is this a distraction?
• Does this help us make a
decision?
• What are the relevant
premises?
• Is this backed by evidence?
 These questions can help you effectively manage and
address irrelevant premises in discussions and
arguments, maintaining clarity and focus on the primary
topic or question at hand.
 HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:

Example 1: Choosing a Movie

Imagine you and your friends are trying to decide

which movie to watch. Someone suggests a comedy,
and another person says, "Well, I heard the director of
that comedy was really rude in an interview." That
information about the director's behavior is irrelevant
because it doesn't help you decide if the movie will be
funny or enjoyable.
 EXAMPLE 2: BUYING A NEW CAR

• You're in the market for a new

car and considering a
particular model. A friend tells
you, "I once had a car from
the same brand, and it was a
terrible experience." While
your friend's personal
experience may be valid, it
might not be relevant to the
current model's quality and
features.
EXAMPLE 3: SCHOOL LUNCH MENU

In a discussion about improving school lunches,

someone mentions, "The school board spent a lot of
money on renovating the gym last year." This
information about the gym renovation is irrelevant to
the topic of making school lunches more nutritious or
appealing.
Irrelevant premises can often cloud
our judgment and distract from the
key issues at hand. Critical thinking
involves recognizing and
disregarding these irrelevant points
to focus on the most important and
pertinent information.
 IRRELEVANT PREMISES

Certainly, irrelevant premises are like off-

topic or unnecessary things that people bring
up in a conversation or argument. They don't
really fit or help with what you're talking about.
Here's a simple example:
 EXAMPLE: PIZZA TOPPINGS

Imagine you and your friends

are discussing the best toppings
for a pizza you're ordering. You
want pepperoni, and your friend
says, "I heard the delivery guy is
always late." That comment
about the delivery time is
irrelevant because it doesn't
have anything to do with
choosing pizza toppings.
 EDUCATION

Irrelevant premises in education are like sharing

information that doesn't really fit or make sense in
the discussion. It's as if you're talking about your
favorite subject in school, and someone starts
talking about the weather. What they said doesn't
relate to your conversation about school subjects.
To have a good discussion, it's important to focus
on the topic and not get sidetracked by things that
don't belong.
So, irrelevant premises are like
things people say that don't
make sense in the context of the
conversation, and they can be
distracting. It's essential to
focus on the main topic or
question to have a productive
discussion.
 THE PROBLEM OF IRRELEVANT
PREMISES

The problem with irrelevant premises in simple

terms is that they can mess up conversations and
arguments. It's like talking about your favorite
food, and someone suddenly brings up the
weather. It's confusing and doesn't help with what
you're discussing.
SO, IRRELEVANT INFORMATION CAN:

Distract: It takes your attention away from

the main point.

Confuse: It can make it hard to understand

what you're talking about.

Waste Time: You end up spending time on

things that don't matter.
Mislead: It might make you think something is
important when it's not.

Create Problems: It can lead to bad decisions

because you're not focused on the right stuff.

In short, irrelevant premises make discussions

less clear and can lead to misunderstandings and
bad decisions.
It's essential to stay on topic to have a good
conversation or argument.
MAIN TOPIC: SHOULD STUDENTS WEAR
UNIFORMS IN SCHOOL?

Relevant Premises: Irrelevant Premises:

- Uniforms can promote a • The school gym was
sense of belonging. recently renovated.
- Uniforms may reduce • The principal's fashion
distractions in the choices.
classroom.
- Uniforms can reduce
social and economic
disparities among
students.
 TIPS FOR IRRELEVANT PREMISES

Of course! Here are some

simple tips for dealing with
irrelevant information in a
conversation or argument:

Stick to the Point: Try to

stay on the topic you're
discussing. If someone brings
up something that doesn't
relate to it, gently steer the
conversation back.
 Be Careful Watch for
with Emotional
General Stories
Statements

Stay Calm Ask for

and Polite Clarificati
on
Ask How It's Related: If you're not sure why
something was brought up, ask how it connects to
what you're talking about. If it doesn't connect well, it
might be irrelevant.

Avoid Personal Attacks: Focus on the ideas, not the

person. Don't criticize someone personally; instead,
address the points they're making.

Watch for Emotional Stories: Emotional stories are

nice, but check if they actually relate to the topic at
hand or if they're just there to distract you.
Be Careful with General Statements: Big, general
statements without proof can be irrelevant. Ask for
examples or evidence to back them up.

Recognize Distractions: Be alert to things that are

meant to shift your attention away from the main point.
Politely bring the conversation back on track.

Use Evidence: In serious discussions, use facts and

data to support your arguments. This makes your
points more relevant and persuasive.
Ask for Clarification: If you're not sure how
something relates to the topic, ask for an explanation.
It can help you understand its relevance.

Stay Calm and Polite: Even when you point out

irrelevant stuff, do it politely. Avoid making things
worse by getting into an argument.

These simple tips can help you keep conversations

focused and productive, without getting sidetracked
by things that don't really belong.
 CONCLUSION

To sum it up in simple words, irrelevant premises

are like off-topic distractions in conversations and
arguments. They can make discussions confusing
and lead to bad decisions. It's important to stick to
the main point, avoid unrelated information, and
stay focused to have better and clearer discussions.
Irrelevant premises can mess up conversations, so
it's best to keep things on track.
 RESOURCES

• BIE Book Excerpt: Critical Thinking in PBL by author Suzie

Boss - 2015
• A Focus on Critical Thinking ( Edutopia Article) – 2011
• http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking
• Adams, M. J. (1989), “Thinking skills curricula: Their promise
and progress.”