Week 3-Post 2: Strong vs. Valid Argument

      In the Epstein text, a valid argument is defined as " an argument in which it is impossible for the premises to be true and the conclusion to be false at the same time" (399). Valid: Smoking is bad for your lungs. Therefore smoking is bad for your health.The reason that this argument is valid is because both of the statements in this argument are both found to be true and there is no proof challenging this statement that smoking can be good to anyones health.

     In the Epstein text, strong argument states, " invalid arguments are classified on a scale from strong to weak. An argument is strong if it is possible but unlikely for the premises to be true and the conclusion false at the same time. An argument is weak if it is possible and likely for the premises to be true and the conclusion false at the same time" (398). Strong Argument:I love to eat pizza which contains cheese. But when I eat any other food with cheese in it, it makes my stomach hurt. Therefore the cheese is the cause of my stomach ache. The reason that this argument ends up being strong is because my conclusion is that the cheese is the cause in the stomach ache. But others can argue that this argument can be false since I can eat cheese in pizza but not in anything else. Therefore the conclusion to this argument can be different in others eyes.