Premise, Matter and Form

Premise, Matter and Form

Introduction Every argument consists of premises. Their credibility and arrangement require separate examination.

Important note Book diagnostic: matter—are the premises credible? form—does the conclusion follow? reasoner's knowledge—is truth reliably known?

Explain premise, matter and form as presented in the book. Identify the book's classification and examples. Apply the principle to an argument.

Source definition (Urdu) Matter is the epistemic status of premises. Form is their arrangement such that the conclusion follows.

Valid form cannot make a false premise true, nor do true premises in an invalid form entail a conclusion. Matter concerns credibility of the premises; form concerns entailment. The reasoner's knowledge concerns reliable knowledge of truth.

Book example/table Every human is living; every horse is living; therefore every horse is human. The premises are true but the form invalid.

Examine both the matter and the form of an argument.