argument
Let an agent analyse arguments by structure, validity, soundness and fallacies, fairly and without taking sides on contested conclusions.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent analyse arguments by structure, validity, soundness and fallacies, fairly and without taking sides on contested conclusions.
A set of statements in which some (premises) are offered as reasons for another (the conclusion), studied in logic and rhetoric; forms include deductive syllogisms, inductive and analogical arguments, and philosophical arguments.
What it is for: Reasoning, persuasion, proof and critical thinking.
It can be identify premises and conclusion; test validity and soundness; spot fallacies; present opposing arguments fairly.
Distinguishing features
Premises support a conclusion
Deductive or non-deductive
Validity differs from truth
Can be reconstructed and evaluated
What it looks like
Chains of statements in speech or text.
How it is recognised
Premises and conclusion markers such as therefore
Forms such as syllogisms
Argument in the sense of a quarrel is another sense
Related models
is a kind of - category
is studied by - fields
uses - reasoning
is confused with - another sense
In practice
Families and kinds
deductive arguments and syllogisms
inductive arguments
abductive arguments
arguments by analogy
philosophical arguments
Failure modes and hazards
Straw-manning opposing views
Confusing validity with truth
Taking sides on contested religious or political conclusions
Also called
+84
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.argument-cognition
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Structure Parts.
Structure reveals reasoning.
Parts
Premises and conclusion.
Parts
Structure.
- What are the premises and the conclusion? definition
- Are there hidden premises? boundary
Form
Type.
Form
Argument form.
- Is it deductive, inductive or abductive? definition
- Which named form does it follow? definition
Evaluation Quality.
Evaluation needs criteria.
Validity
Logical form.
Validity
Validity and strength.
- Does the conclusion follow from the premises? boundary
- How strong is the support? measurement
Soundness
Truth of premises.
Soundness
Soundness.
- Are the premises true or well supported? provenance
- What evidence backs them? provenance
Fallacies Errors.
Fallacies mislead.
Identify
Common fallacies.
Identify
Fallacies.
- Does the argument commit a known fallacy? boundary
- Which one? definition
Repair
Improvement.
Repair
Repair.
- How could the argument be strengthened? action
- What would a counterargument be? definition
Fairness Balance.
Arguments deserve fair treatment.
Charity
Strongest version.
Charity
Principle of charity.
- Is the argument presented in its strongest form? boundary
- Are opposing arguments included? boundary
Contested topics
Neutrality.
Contested
Contested conclusions.
- Is the conclusion religiously or politically contested? boundary
- Are views attributed rather than endorsed? boundary
What the second pass must settle
- Should argument forms be separate entries?
- How should fallacies be linked?
- How should contested arguments be presented?