Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Brief Bullet Wednesday: That is the sun, not the moon

• Smoke photos from early this evening in Maple Ridge. That is the sun, not the moon.

• Philosophically, I seek good sources for knowledge. I am skeptical, but open to conspiracy theories, but they are not replacement facts by default. 

• In my opinion, the radical over-politicization in the United States of America has led in many cases to conspiracy led theories replacing facts based on political considerations.

• Statements (conclusions), premises and conclusions (arguments) should be considered with reasonable objectivity if finding the truth is the objective.

• Validity in deductive arguments is a technical term in logic. Elements (1997: 33). 

 If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true. The concept of true premises and false conclusion would be 'inconceivable in a valid argument'. Elements (1997: 33). Validity is a set of premises supporting a conclusion. Technically in logic the premises do not have to be true, simply valid. Elements (1997: 33).

 Therefore a valid deductive argument can have: 

False premises and a true conclusion (FT) 

False premises and a false conclusion (FF) 

True premises and a true conclusion (TT) 

However True premises and a false conclusion (TF) is invalid. 

Valid arguments with all true premises are called sound arguments. These also have a true conclusion.

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

CONWAY DAVID A. AND RONALD MUNSON (1997) The Elements of Reasoning, Wadsworth Publishing Company, New York. 

LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York. (Philosophy). 

PIRIE, MADSEN (2006)(2015) How To Win Every Argument, Bloomsbury, London.