ARGUMENTATION AND LOGIC TOK LAJM

TASK Choose some thing that is important to you E.g. a hobby, an athlete, an artist or a band Try give reasons to your neighbour(s) why the thing you chose is good Write down your reasons

TASK What were you actually trying to do in the previous task? You were trying to give an argument!

What is an argument? All arguments must have a main point and reason(s) that support it

What is an argument? (P1) Elvis had a distinctive voice PREMISE(S) (P1–Pn) – reasons of an argument that support the main point (P1) Elvis had a distinctive voice REASONING (P2) Elvis gave huge concerts (C) Elvis was a great artist CONCLUSION (C) – the main point of an argument

TASK Transform your argument into the following form: Premises (P1–Pn) Conclusion (C) Write down your argument accurately Evaluate your reasoning

What makes up a good argument? (1) All the premises are true (2) Premises support the conclusion i.e. reasoning is not flawed PLEASE NOTE! Premises can be true or false, but an argument cannot be true or false Argument can be good or bad

Truth and validity Truth Validity What is the case? Property of the premises Validity Does the conclusion follow from the premises? Property of the reasoning process The validity of an argument is independent of the truth or falsity of the premises it contains

Deductive reasoning The truth of the premises guarantees the truth of the conclusion The conclusion must necessarily follow from the premises Logically valid

Deductive reasoning (P1) All men are mortal (P2) Elvis is a man (C) Elvis is a mortal

TASK Evaluate the deductive arguments in the teacher’s handout Are the deductive arguments logically valid or not and why?

Two forms of logically VALID deductive arguments MODUS PONENS MODUS TOLLENS (P1) If A, then B (P2) A (C) B (P1) If A, then B (P2) not B (C) not A

Two forms of logically INVALID deductive arguments DENYING THE ANTECEDENT AFFIRMING THE CONSEQUENT (P1) If A, then B (P2) not A (C) not B (P1) If A, then B (P2) B (C) A ERROR! ERROR!

Inductive reasoning The truth of the premises makes the conclusion probable The conclusion doesn’t necessarily follow from the premises Statistical generalizations

Inductive reasoning (P1) I’ve seen thousands of ravens (P2) All the ravens I’ve seen have been black (C) All the ravens are black

TASK How to make good inductive arguments? Number of instances What distinguishes good generalizations from bad ones? Number of instances Variety of circumstances Exceptions, counter-examples Coherence Subject area, AOK

Argument of best explanation Abductive reasoning Reasoning from the available sources to the best possible explanation Argument of best explanation

Abductive reasoning (P1) A man was found dead in a remote cabin (P2) All the doors and the windows were shut from inside (P3) The man was hanging from a rope (C) The man had committed a suicide

Key principles in abduction Simplicity Consistency Testability Coverage

Induction and abduction Induction and abduction can overlap In searching for the best possible explanation, statistical generalizations and probabilities based on those generalizations can be used In both cases the premises do NOT guarantee the truth of the conclusion The premises just make the conclusion more likely or warranted

Fallacy An invalid pattern of argument, an error in reasoning May occur in any type of reasoning

GROUP WORK How can our reasoning be flawed? Form five groups Define and create examples of the most common fallacies with the help of the teacher’s instructions Compile a short presentation for others

A critical thinker Is aware of different ways of argumentation and various fallacies Uses source criticism Pursues intellectual integrity

CARS checklist

TASK What are the ways of knowing argumentation and logic can relate to? What are the areas of knowledge argumentation and logic can relate to?

TASK Is there a way of knowing, area of knowledge or area of life where rational argumentation cannot be applied?

Picture Sources Usain Bolt in Rio 2016 <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-17/cameron-spencer-takes-smiling-usain-bolt-photo-rio-olympics/7751724> Accessed 24th of August 2016. Cartoon argument 1 <https://rosariobrumley.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/what-it-means-to-shape-an-argument/> Accessed 24th of August 2016. Cartoon argument 2 <http://www.edu.helsinki.fi/malu/kirjasto/yto/vaittely/> Accessed 5th of April 2016 Argument as a house <http://quotesgram.com/quotes-about-logical-thinking> Accessed 5th of April 2016

Picture Sources Weapons of Mass Deduction <https://www.pinterest.com/pin/120682464991674637/> Accessed 19th of June 2016. Elvis <http://www.clker.com/clipart-elvis-presley-.html> Accessed 24th of August 2016. Sherlock Holmes <http://allegator.deviantart.com/art/New-Sherlock-Holmes-278127565> Accessed 19th of June 2016. Raven <https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Raven/id> Accessed 24th of August 2016. Albino raven <https://fi.pinterest.com/museignited/crow-raven-totem-spirit-animal/> Accessed 24th of August 2016.

Picture Sources Sherlock Holmes and doctor Watson <http://pdlstacks.blogspot.fi/2014_06_01_archive.html> Accessed 5th of August 2016. Sherlock Holmes’ silhouette <https://pixabay.com/fi/sherlock-holmes-etsivä-suurennuslasi-147255/> Accessed 5th of August 2016. Sherlock Holmes playing the violin <http://everythingsherlock.com/sherlock-holmes-violin/> Accessed 5th of August 2016. Logical fallacy meme <http://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/logical-fallacies/> Accessed 25th of August 2016. Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument <https://www.askideas.com/dont-raise-your-voice-improve-your-argument-desmond-tutu/> Accessed 15th of April 2016.

Picture Sources Demand evidence and think critically <https://fi.pinterest.com/explore/critical-thinking/> Accessed 25th of August 2016. Questions a critical thinker asks <http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/12/critical-thinking-questions-students.html> Accessed 18th of August 2016. 6 critical questions <http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/12/critical-thinking-questions-students.html> Accessed 18th of August 2016. CARS Checlist van de Lagemaat, Richard: Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma, Second edition, Cambridge University Press 2015, page 69 TOK curriculum <http://www.amyscott.com/ToK.html> Accessed 2nd of August 2016. Be rational – get real <http://rationallyspeaking.blogspot.fi/2011/11/difference-between-rationality-and.html> Accessed 29th of August 2016.