1. Introduction to Ethics Lecture 1-b What is Philosophy? (Part 2)
By David Kelsey

2. Arguments The second major task of philosophy is making arguments.
An argument: one statement is inferred from one or more other statements.
Example:

3. Inferences
An inference: a statement that follows from one or more other statements.

4. Statements A statement is a proposition.
A proposition is the meaning of a sentence:
Just like words have meanings, sentences have meanings.

5. Propositions The form of a proposition: ‘it is the case that…’.
Propositions are true or false.

6. Propositions & Sentences
A sentence does two different things: it both expresses a proposition and asserts a proposition.
The expressed proposition:
The literal meaning of the words of that sentence.
Question: What is literal meaning?

7. Expressing a proposition
For a sentence to express a proposition:
is for that sentence to toss the proposition up in the air, so to speak.
It is to put the proposition up for usage.
Knowing what proposition a sentence expresses is often quite easy.

8. The asserted Proposition
Making use of a proposition:
Just how a sentence makes use of the proposition a sentence expresses determines it’s actual or intended meaning.
The proposition asserted: the actual or intended meaning of a sentence
The actual or intended meaning of a sentence:
What the speaker or writer of the sentence means when she writes or says it.

9. Miscommunication Miscommunication:
When the hearer doesn’t take the sentence to assert what the speaker intends

10. Sarcasm Other kinds of sentences: Sarcasm:
The messy roomate:
“She always takes out the trash”.
This sentence expresses:
But the sentence asserts:
Other occassions when meaning splits:

11. Arguments Again
Arguments: when one proposition is inferred from one or more other propositions
Other definitions of an Argument

12. Arguments Argument: a position supported by reasons for its truth.
To take a position:
An issue: what is raised when one considers whether or not a proposition is true.
There are always 2 sides to an issue

13. Issues
Issues:
we might go as far as to say that an issue just is a question.
Intelligent life:
Safety belt law:
Mac vs. Pc:

14. Arguments & Positions
Arguments & Positions: so when we take a position on an issue and support it with reasons we have given an argument.
Intelligent life:
Safety Belt law:
Mac vs. Pc:

15. Conclusions & Premises
Arguments:
The conclusion of an argument:
The premises of an argument:
Examples:
Socrates again
April Showers

16. What an argument isn’t
What an argument isn’t: Let us be a bit clearer about what an argument is by stating what it isn’t.
Not a Fight:
Not Persuasion:
Advertisement example:

17. Persuasion Persuasion vs. Argument:
An argument offers support for some claim, its conclusion.
Persuasion needn’t offer any support for a point.
Not Logic: It merely attempts to get you to believe a point.
This attempt needn’t be one through logic though.
Persuasion through rhetoric:
Rhetoric: is “a broad category of linguistic techniques people use when their primary objective is to influence beliefs and attitudes and behavior”

18. Arguments vs. Explanations
Explanation of X: If one gives an explanation about some thing X, one gives some details about X with the hope of coming to better understand X.
Example: fixing a flat tire

19. Recognizing Arguments
Conclusion Indicators: find the conclusion of an argument by looking for conclusion indicators.
Examples of Conclusion Indicators: therefore, hence, and others
Premise Indicators: find the premises of an argument by looking for premise indicators
Examples of Premise Indicators: because, since, and others.

20. Explicit Premises Explicit premises:
asserted by the words of the text.

21. Implicit Premises Implicit or unstated premises: Bloodhound example:
Not made explicit by the text so must be inferred from the words of the text
Are entailed by the words of the text.
Bloodhound example:
Moore’s dog is a bloodhound, so it has a keen sense of smell
What is the implicit premise?