What is Logic?

Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Introduction to Logic

David Pattillo

University of Notre Dame

Fall, 2015

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Arguments

Philosophy is difficult. If questions are easy to decide, they

usually don’t end up in philosophy
The easiest way to proceed on difficult questions is to
formulate and evaluate various arguments
Logic is the the study of arguments
An argument is a set of sentences, one of which is trying to
be proven. The setnence to be proven is called the conclusion
The claims in an argument which are not the conclusion are
called premises

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Good and Bad Arguments

Once you have a set of a set of sentences in which premises try

to establish a conclusion, you have an argument. Then what?
In philosophy, we are not just concerned with arguments, but
with good arguments.
What makes an argument good or bad? Consider the
following:
(1) Notre Dame is in Indiana
(2) Indiana is in the midwest
(C) Notre Dame is good at football.

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

(1) Notre Dame is in Indiana

(2) Indiana is in the midwest
(C) Notre Dame is good at football.
Why is this a bad argument?
(1) is true. (2) is true. (C) is true...usually. So what is the
problem?
The issue is not with one of the statements, but with how the
argument moves from the premises to the conclusion. The
premises have nothing to do with whether or not the
conclusion is true. Some years, sadly, both premises are true
and the conclusion is false.
If an argument is such that all its premises could be true and
its conclusion false we call it invalid.
Conversely, if it is impossible for all the premises of an
argument to be true and the conclusion false (i.e. the
premises guarantee the conclusion) we call it valid.
David Pattillo Introduction to Logic
 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.

(1) Tom Brady plays for the Patriots.

(2) The Patriots are all cheaters.
(C) Tom Brady is a cheater. Valid

(1) Russell Wilson doesn’t play for the Patriots.

(2) The Patriots are all cheaters.
(C) Russell Wilson isn’t a cheater. Invalid

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.

(1) If Frodo destroys the ring Sauron will die.

(2) Sauron died.
(C) Frodo destroyed the ring. Invalid

(1) If Harry blows up the Death Star, Sauron will die.

(2) Harry blew up the Death Star.
(C) Sauron died. Valid

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Other Evaluations
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.
Logic is concerned entirely with the reasoning of arguments.
This means logicians only evaluate validity and invalidity.
As philosophers, there are more ways we can evaluate
arguments, but we should always start with evaluating validity.
One other thing we are concerned with is whether or not the
premises are true.
However, it does us no good to merely know the truth of the
premises and conclusion. Consider:
(1) The sun is bigger than the moon.True
(2) Milk comes from cows. True
(C) Tigers are carnivorous. True
Is this argument helpful in any way?
Why not?
Arguments are supposed to move
David Pattillo you tofrom
Introduction Logic things you know
 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Soundness
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.

We only care about the truth of the premises if we already

know that the argument is valid.
If an argument is valid and its premises are true, then we call
the argument sound.
Notice that a sound argument will always have a true
conclusion. This is precisely why sound arguments are useful.

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.
An argument is sound if and only if it is valid and the premises are
true.

(1) Tom Brady plays for the Patriots. True

(2) The Patriots are all cheaters. False
(C) Tom Brady is a cheater. Valid Unsound

(1) Russell Wilson doesn’t play for the Patriots.

(2) The Patriots are all cheaters.
(C) Russell Wilson isn’t a cheater. Invalid Unsound

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.
An argument is sound if and only if it is valid and the premises are
true.

(1) Everett Golson plays for Florida State. True

(2) No Florida State player plays for Notre Dame. True
(C) Everett Golson does not play for Notre Dame. True
Valid Sound

(1) Notre Dame plays Georgia Tech this year. True

(2) Georgia Tech is in the Big 12. False
(C) Notre Dame plays a team in the Big 12 this year.
Valid True Unsound

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be
An true andisthe
argument conclusion
sound false.if it is valid and the premises are
if and only
true.
There are many other ways one could evaluate an argument.
The last one we will look at is a bit subjective, but still can be
important for certain purposes.
Consider the following argument:
(1) If atheists’ belief that there is no God is true, then
there is no God. True
(2) Atheists’ belief that there is no God is true. Maybe
(C) There is no God.
Valid Sound?
Suppose this is a sound argument; is it then a good
argument? Why might someone be unsatisfied with it?
Let us call an argument informative if and only if the premises
are more plausible than the conclusion.
David Pattillo Introduction to Logic
 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.
An argument is sound if and only if it is valid and the premises are
true.
An argument is informative if and only if its premises are more plau-
sible than its conclusion.

Evaluate the following for validity, soundness, and informativeness.

If it is invalid, show that it is invalid:
(1) All men are mortal.
(2) Socrates is a man.
(C) Socrates is mortal.
Valid Sound Informative

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.
An argument is sound if and only if it is valid and the premises are
true.
An argument is informative if and only if its premises are more plau-
sible than its conclusion.

Evaluate the following for validity, soundness, and informativeness.

If it is invalid, show that it is invalid:
(1) Everyone who shows up to class gets an A.
(2) Johnny got an A.
(C) Johnny showed up to class.
Invalid Unsound

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.
An argument is sound if and only if it is valid and the premises are
true.
An argument is informative if and only if its premises are more plau-
sible than its conclusion.

Evaluate the following for validity, soundness, and informativeness.

If it is invalid, show that it is invalid:
(1) Some Students have false beliefs.
(2) I am a student who has false beliefs.
(C) I have false beliefs.
Valid Sound Uninformative

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.
An argument is sound if and only if it is valid and the premises are
true.
An argument is informative if and only if its premises are more plau-
sible than its conclusion.

Evaluate the following for validity, soundness, and informativeness.

If it is invalid, show that it is invalid:
(1) Snow is white.
(2) Snow is cold.
(C) Today is Tuesday.
Invalid

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.
An argument is sound if and only if it is valid and the premises are
true.
An argument is informative if and only if its premises are more plau-
sible than its conclusion.

Evaluate the following for validity, soundness, and informativeness.

If it is invalid, show that it is invalid:
(1) All men are mortal.
(C) All men are mortal.
Valid Sound Uninformative

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.
An argument is sound if and only if it is valid and the premises are
true.
An argument is informative if and only if its premises are more plau-
sible than its conclusion.

Evaluate the following for validity, soundness, and informativeness.

If it is invalid, show that it is invalid:
(1) All gingers have souls.
(2) Some students are not gingers.
(C) Some students do not have souls.
Invalid

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.
An argument is sound if and only if it is valid and the premises are
true.
An argument is informative if and only if its premises are more plau-
sible than its conclusion.

Evaluate the following for validity, soundness, and informativeness.

If it is invalid, show that it is invalid:
(1) No one should judge someone who is a part of a
different culture.
(2) None of us was a part of Nazi culture.
(C) None of us should judge the Nazis.
Valid Unsound

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises
to be true and the conclusion false.
An argument is sound if and only if it is valid and the premises are
true.
An argument is informative if and only if its premises are more plau-
sible than its conclusion.

Evaluate the following for validity, soundness, and informativeness.

If it is invalid, show that it is invalid:
(1) If a student plagiarizes a paper, they will get a 0 on
that paper.
(2) Last semester a student plagiarized a paper.
(C) Last semester a student got a 0 on a paper.
Valid Sound Informative

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Important Arguments

Certain types of argument recur often enough that they

deserve special attention. The ones we will focus on for this
class are those involving if-then statements.
If-then statements occur often in philosophy both because
they can be used to express causal or other connections, and
because they are connected with/can be supplied by necessary
and sufficient conditions, which we have seen can be used to
analyze concepts.
If P then Q = P is sufficient for Q = P⇒Q
P only if Q (If Q then P) = P is necessary for Q = P⇐Q
P iff Q = P is necessary and sufficient for Q = P⇔Q

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

The 4 forms

There are 4 and only 4 ways one can argue using an if-then
statement
Affirm Deny
(1) If P then Q
(1) If P then Q
Antecedent

(2) Not P
(2) P (C) Not Q
(C) Q Denying the
Modus Ponens Antecedent
(1) If P then Q
Consequent

(2) Q (1) If P then Q

(C) P (2) Not Q
Affirming the (C) Not P
Consequent Modus Tollens

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples

Is the following argument Modus Ponens, Modus Tollens, Affirming

the Consequent, or Denying the Antecedent? Is it valid?

(1) If Notre Dame goes undefeated, they will win the

playoffs.
(2) Notre Dame will go undefeated.
(C) Notre Dame will win the playoffs.
Modus Ponens

(1) If it rains, the sidewalks will be wet.

(2) It did not rain.
(C) The sidewalks are not wet.
Denying the Antecedent

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples

Is the following argument Modus Ponens, Modus Tollens, Affirming

the Consequent, or Denying the Antecedent? Is it valid?

(1) If a student goes to Notre Dame, then they are

Catholic.
(2) Pope Francis does not go to Notre Dame.
(C) Pope Francis is not Catholic.
Denying the Antecedent

(1) If the government tracks where you are, they are

invading your privacy.
(2) The government is invading your privacy.
(C) The government tracks where you are.
Affirming the Consequent
David Pattillo Introduction to Logic
 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples

Is the following argument Modus Ponens, Modus Tollens, Affirming

the Consequent, or Denying the Antecedent? Is it valid?

(1) If something is a table, then it has a flat surface.

(2) The chair does not have a flat surface.
(C) The chair is not a table.
Modus Tollens

(1) If this argument is not Modus Ponens, then it is

Modus Tollens.
(2) This argument is not Modus Tollens.
(C) This argument is Modus Ponens.
Modus Tollens

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Formalization

Outside of a philosophy classroom you will rarely encounter

arguments in explicit premise-conclusion form. Instead, you
are much more likely to come across them as paragraphs
following no rigorous structure. So why do philosophers
bother to state them in this way?
CLARITY!−when arguments are stated in premise-conclusion
form it is much easier to evaluate whether or not they are
valid.
Furthermore, if an argument is valid but rests on a false
assumption, it is much easier to point out the false assumption
if one can point to an explicit premise which is false.

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Formalizing

When turning paragraphs into explicit arguments there are a few

things to keep in mind:
Figure out what is actually being argued−the conclusion isn’t
always the last sentence of the paragraph
Eliminate unnecessary information−Paragraphs will often
include other information not relevant to the argument at
hand
Simplify the premises as much as possible
Try to make arguments valid; be as charitable as possible
when interpreting people.
If there is an assumption that is needed to make an argument
valid fill it in, but mark it as something you added.

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples

Turn the following argument into explicit premise-conclusion form:

Every person has a right to life. So the fetus has a right to life.
Not doubt the mother has a right to decide what shall happen in
and to her body; everyone would grant that. But surely a person’s
right to life is stronger and more stringent than the mother’s right
to decide what happens in and to her body, and so outweighs it.
So the fetus may not be killed; an abortion may not be performed.

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic

 What is Logic?
Important Forms
Making Arguments Explicit

Examples

Turn the following argument into explicit premise-conclusion form:

The development of a human being from conception through birth

into childhood is continuous; to draw a line, to choose a point in
this development and say “before this point the thing is not a
person, after this point it is a person” is to make an arbitrary
choice, a choice for which in the nature of things no good reason
can be given. Therefore, the fetus is, or should be treated like, a
person from the moment of conception.

David Pattillo Introduction to Logic