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If the arguments have the same conclusions, but the premises in one argument contradict the premises in another argument, then these arguments cannot be used together. I am right?

User Kwab
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Final answer:

Arguments with the same conclusion but contradictory premises cannot be valid since the premises are supposed to logically support the conclusion. At least one argument must be based on false or inadequate premises, and it's essential to have premises that are true, relevant, and sufficient to establish a valid argument.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the arguments have the same conclusions but are based on premises that contradict each other, these arguments are indeed problematic. When two arguments yield the same conclusion but rest on opposing premises, there is a fundamental issue that prevents them from being jointly reliable or used together. Since arguments are made of two key components, the premises and the conclusion, where premises are supposed to provide sound support for the conclusion. When premises contradict each other, it indicates that at least one argument is relying on false or questionable premises, making it a weak or invalid argument.

Furthermore, an argument may have irrelevant premises that do not logically support the conclusion or may involve circular reasoning, where the premises assume the truth of the conclusion. These flaws illustrate that having a true conclusion is not sufficient; the reasoning leading to the conclusion must also be logically valid. In some cases, alternative arguments can exist which provide equal or greater support to the conclusion independently. Such inconsistencies and logical fallacies should be scrutinized before accepting any argument's conclusion as truth.

It is important for an argument to have premises that are not only true but also relevant and sufficient to underpin the conclusion drawn. Analyzing the foundations of each argument is crucial for determining its validity. A valid deductive argument like the disjunctive syllogism ensures that if the premises are true, the conclusion must necessarily follow. Hence, when premises are in direct contradiction, at least one set must be false or inadequate for the conclusion, rendering joint usage of the arguments untenable.

User Kamyar Mirzavaziri
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