Validity - Salmon

(Originally Written September 4, 2005 in Book 1)

Logic

Wesley C. Salmon

1963

Chapter 2 - Deduction

Validity:

-The validity of a deductive argument is determined by its logical form, not by the content of the statements comprising them.

-Correct deductive arguments are called 'valid'

-Stating that a deductive argument is valid means that if the premises are true than the conclusion is true

-Deductive arguments are concerned with form, not content

-If the form of an argument is valid then the argument is valid

-If the premises of a deductive argument are true than the conclusion must be true.

-TO disprove an argument you may offer a counterexample using the same form. Using the same form you can state two truthful premises and a false conclusion, thus proving the original argument is invalid.