Terminology

Philosophy 49

We are believing systems – our very survival ends upon it. Many of our beliefs are usually not in the forefront of our mind.

I.E. “Drinking water makes you healthy.”

This individual believes that water is H2O, believes in what chemists tell them, believes that the body is made up of water, believes that he exists. All of these are part of the believing system and there are so many beliefs that are the foundation/are connected to other beliefs.

Existence is beginning, middle, and end; but we can’t get from one moment to the next without believing that there is. (i.e. When dropped in a river, one holds their breath in belief that they will die without the oxygen. However in a Cabrillo classroom, one operates under the belief that there will be air to breath and thus, does not hold their breath.)

We are hard-wired for believing. Believing is crucial to survival. It is therefore important to support what we believe.

All arguments follow this basic structure: (1)Why? (2) Because…

The Food and Drug Administration should stop all cigarette sales. After all, cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death.

(1) WHY should the Food and Drug Administration should stop all cigarette sales? (2) Because cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death.

No one was present when life first appeared on earth. Therefore, any statement about life’s origins should be considered as theory, not fact.

Theory is not the same as hypothesis, though it’s dreadfully misused. A theory is a hypothesis that has been tested over and over and over again and has yet to be disproved. When the scientific process is done rigorously and correctly, then a theory that stands is NOT merely a hypothesis.

Terminology 

Though it may differ in the world outside this class or in different systems, this is how we will be using these terms.

• Arguments: a series of propositions (statements) put forward to support another proposition – consists of at least one premise and at most one conclusion.
• Propositions (Statements): an assertion that something is or is not the case –  true or false.
• Sentences: linguistic entities or vehicles used to express propositions – sentences are neither true nor false.
• Premise: a reason for maintaining the conclusion, support for the conclusion.
• Conclusion: the inference made from the premise.
• Inference: affirming one proposition or the basis of another. All conclusions are inferences but not every inference is a conclusion.

Conclusion Indicators: 100% reliable – if present than its definitely a conclusion, BUT not always present.

• Therefore: for the reasons
• Hence: it follows that
• So: I conclude that
• Accordingly: which shows that
• In consequence: which means that
• Consequently: which entails that
• Proves that: which implies that
• As a result: Which allows us to infer that
• For this reason: Which points to the conclusion that
• Thus: We may infer

Premise Indicators: Not completely reliable, but helpful.

• Since: as indicated
• Because: the reason is that
• For: for the reason that
• As: may be inferred from
• Follows from: may be derived from
• As shown by: may be deduced from
• Inasmuch as: In view of the fact that