Argument (philosophy)

An argument, in logic and philosophy, may be defined in its most ordinary sense as a set of statements, one of which is the conclusion, the others premises (or premisses). The premises are intended or purported to show that the conclusion is, or is probably, true.

When an argument is presented to show that its conclusion is true (not just probably true), the argument is called deductive. When an argument is presented to show that its conclusion is probably true, the argument is called inductive. A major part of the study of logic is the development of tests and techniques for determining whether or not the premises actually do support an argument's conclusion as intended.