Which of the following determines whether or not an argument is valid?
A) whether or not all of its premises are true
B) whether or not its conclusion is true
C) the form of the argument
D) All of these answers are things that determine whether an argument is valid.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A valid argument is one with a truth-preserving form. In other words, if you provide true premises in an argument with a valid form, then the truth of the conclusion will be guaranteed. Think of a valid argument like a machine: If you put good things in it (true premises), then you will get good things out of it (a true conclusion). If you put bad things in it (false premises), you may by chance get the desired result (a true conclusion), but if you do, it will be entirely by a stroke of luck.

Which of the Following Determines Whether or Not an Argument