⊿ Point. {R} Glossary. ◢ Keyword: P. ▰ Sources. 〓 Books [B] ◥ University. {q} PhD. {tr} Training. {R} L' Review. [B] PhD. ⚫ USA. ↂ EndNote. ☝️ Machi (2016) Premise. Premise. Statement supporting an argument An argument is meaningful for its conclusion only when all of its premises are true. If one or more premises are false, the argument says nothing about whether the conclusion is true or false. For instance, a false premise on its own does not justify rejecting an argument's conclusion; to assume otherwise is a logical fallacy called denying the antecedent.
One way to prove that a proposition is false is to formulate a sound argument with a conclusion that negates that proposition. Key to evaluating the quality of an argument is determining if it is valid and sound. Aristotle held that any logical argument could be reduced to two premises and a conclusion.[2] Premises are sometimes left unstated, in which case, they are called missing premises, for example: Socrates is mortal because all men are mortal. It is evident that a tacitly understood claim is that Socrates is a man. Because all men are mortal and Socrates is a man, Socrates is mortal.