1. Chapter 1: Good and Bad Reasoning
Reasoning and Arguments
Premises and Conclusions
Three Criteria of Cogent Reasoning:
Start with justified beliefs
Include all relevant information
Be valid

2. Valid Reasoning Deductively Valid Reasoning
Fundamental Property of a deductively valid argument: conclusion is contained in the premises, explicitly or implicitly
If the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true also
Inductively Valid Reasoning
Conclusions go beyond the claims made by the premises

3. The Role of Beliefs in Reasoning
An accurate supply of background beliefs is important in good reasoning
Beliefs used in reasoning must be adequately supported
Beliefs must be carefully examined