Argument (philosophy)

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