Glossary of Argumentation
abstract: a separate note or comment preceding the introduction of a topic
abstraction: a process of generalisation by reducing the information content of a subject
(argumentum) ad hoc: Latin meaning ‘for this purpose’; a pejorative term for a make-shift argument
(argumentum) ad hominem: Latin meaning ‘against the man’; an fallacious form of argument, where an irreleant attack or appeal is made to a characteristic of one’s interlocutor
(argumentum) ad populum: Latin meaning ‘to the people’; a fallacious form of argument whereby one appeals to the consensus of majority
(argumentum) ad verecundiam: Latin meaning ‘to authority’; a logically fallacious argument, whereby one appeals to the authority of the person(s) who affirms it
allegory: an illustrating of a subject by another subject of aptly suggestive resemblance
allusion: a figure of speech intended to implicitly refer to an subject
appendix: a note or comment having some contributory value, but not essential to completeness
analogy: a form of argument where a conclusion is inferred of a particular subject through the consideration of another particular subject
analysis: a critical examination of a complex subject into its constituent elements
aphorism: a pithy sentence thought to express a general truth
argument: a statement or fact advanced to support a proposition
axiom: a self-evident or presupposed rule
biconditional: logical operation given by statements of the form ‘A if and only if B’ (that is, ‘‘if A then B’ and ‘if B then A’’)
category: a grouping based on similarity or defined criteria
categorical: absolute, admitting no exceptions
comparison: the process of examining on particular subject in order to demonstrate the degree of similarity to another particular subject
conclusion: the outcome of an issue; a judgement arrived at by reasoning
conditional: logical operation given by statements of the form ‘if A then B’
conjecture: an opinion offered on admittedly insufficient grounds
conjunction: a two-place logical operator (i.e. ‘and’) that results in a value of: ‘true’ if both of its operands are true; or ‘false’ if either one it false
context: a statement intended to illustrate the circumstances or setting of a subject
corollary: a proposition following from another demonstrated proposition
counterfactual: a hypothetical used to indicate what would (or would not) be the case if it were true
critique: a critical comment or judgement (weaker than a refutation)
description: a synopsis of a subject as it is
deduction: the process of deriving a specific conclusion from accepted premises or general principles
definition: an (often arbitrary) account of what is meant by a term
deliberation: a form of inquiry intended to determine what should or ought to be done
demonstration: that which serves as proof
disjunction: a two-place logical operator (i.e. ‘or’) that results in a value of: ‘true’ if either of its operands are true; or ‘false’ if both are false
elimination: the process of arriving at a conclusion by separating and eliminating in a deductive argument
ethos: a focus of persuasion whereby one establishes confidence in the character of the speaker
enthymeme: a informally stated syllogism, with a suppressed, though assumed premise
epidictic: a type of argument intended extol
euphemism: a phrase or expression used in substitution for one that is less agreeable, though often more standard and direct
explanation: a note or comment added to make a point more plainly understandable
exposition: an explanatory interpretation of a subject
fallacy: a component of an argument that renders an argument invalid
falsified: refuted by empirical observation
figure: a representation in a diagram or picture
forensic: an form of inquiry intended to establish what has already happened
generalisation: the process of moving from particulars to universals
hyperbole: rhetorical exaggeration or overstatement
hypothesis: a subordinate thesis (cf. ‘counterfactual’)
induction: the process of deriving general principles from specific (and often accumulative) premises. Inductive conclusions are supported rather than proved by their premises, and are therefore weaker than valid deductive arguments
inference: the process of validly deriving a conclusion solely on the basis of what one already knows
inquiry: an process that has as its aim the augmenting of knowledge, the resolving of doubt, or the solving of a problem
lemma: a proposition assumed or demonstrated, preliminary to the demonstration of another.
logic: modes of argument that adhere to valid inference and demonstration
metaphor: language that compares seemingly unrelated subjects
necessary: that which cannot fail to be true
normative: of or pertaining to a (typically social) norm or standard
objection: a proposition made in opposition to another
pathos: the element of an argument that seeks to persuade by means of appeal to emotion (typically that of pity)
parable: a short story that illustrates a lesson
paraphrase: a restatement of a text in different words, often intended to clarify the original meaning
persuasion: the process of guiding people toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not always logical) means.
prediction: a statement (in more certain terms than a forecast) that something will happen
preface: the introduction of a subject
premise: a reason for or against a logically related claim or conclusion
prescription: the treatment of a subject as it should be or ought to be
probability: concerning the likelihood of something happening (traditionally the point of difference between logical truth and rhetoric)
proof: a demonstration that an argument is valid
proposition: a suggestion in need of demonstration
proverb: a simple, well-known saying which is thought to express a common-sense truth
postulate: an assumed possibility arising from demonstrated proposition
qualification: a modification, limitation or restriction
quotation: a citation of a particular passage, statement, etc.
refutation: the disproof of a proposition (stronger than a critique)
remark: a subsidiary note or comment
rhetoric: the art of using language to persuade (especially via the affection of emotion)
rhetorical question: a question where no response is required, usually because it is assumed to be self-evident
rubric: a category or classification.
segue: a note or comment joining two points
scholium: a note or comment added to illustrate or further develop a point
simile: a figure of speech where one subject is compared to another subject, using the adjective ‘like’
soundness: a feature of a logical argument whereby both it is valid and all of its premises are true
sufficiency: an implicational relationship between statements, where if the sufficient condition is satisfied, the statement is deemed true
summary: a condensed account of the substance of a subject or argument
supposition: an imagined or supposed, though unverified, proposition that is typically used in hypothetical arguments
syllogism: a three part deductive argument, consisting of two premises and a conclusion
synopsis: a brief, systematic summary of the major points of a subject or argument
tangent: a divergent note or comment
tautology: a statement that is true for all values of its variables
theorem: a statement that can be proved on the basis of explicitly stated or previously agreed assumptions
thesis: a thematic proposition to be generally discussed, proved, and maintained against attack
truism: a claim that is so obvious or self-evident as to be hardly worth mentioning, except as a rhetorical device
validity: the characteristic of an argument that adheres to accepted logical operations (especially with regards to deduction)
