Good argument
Good argument, as used by philosophers and many others, means simply a sound or strong argument. If one has offered a sound or strong argument in defense of one's conclusion, then one has stated a true view, or at least a probably true view. The premises of one's argument support, or, with some sophisticated complications aside, justify one's belief in the conclusion. That is why good arguments are so important: a good argument is the closest thing we have to a guarantee that a belief is true. If one is armed with a good argument, one has helped to justify one's belief in the conclusion, and to remove doubts about it.
All good arguments are sound and strong arguments, but not all sound arguments are good.
For example,
- Water freezes at 0° Celsius
- Therefore, water freezes at 0° Celsius
is a sound argument, because it is a valid argument, all of its premises are true, and it has a true conclusion, but it isn't good, because it doesn't prove anything and is a case of begging the question.
See also validity; cogency; soundness.
Referenced By
Fallacy | Logical fallacy | Other Logical Fallacies
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