Contrasting Deductive vs. Non-Deductive Arguments

Different kinds of arguments are evaluated by different standards, so before evaluating an argument, it’s important to first determine what kind of argument it is. Arguments generally fall into two basic types: deductive and non-deductive. This scrollable interactive will walk you through several examples, using the counterexample technique to illustrate how to distinguish valid deductive arguments from non-deductive arguments and to highlight the importance of making this distinction when evaluating an argument.

Topics

  • argument
  • complex argument
  • conclusion
  • deduction
  • deductive argument
  • deductive reasoning
  • invalid
  • non-deductive argument
  • non-deductive reasoning
  • premises
  • reasoning
  • soundness
  • standard form
  • theorizing
  • valid
  • validity