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A valid argument can begin with a false claim

Validity concerns whether a conclusion follows from the premises.

A deductive argument is valid when its conclusion cannot be false if its premises are true. That is a test of the connection between statements. It does not establish that the premises actually are true.

For that reason, evaluating an argument involves two questions: does the reasoning hold, and are the starting claims justified? An argument with valid reasoning and true premises is called sound. Separating these checks helps explain why an impressively orderly argument can still fail to establish its conclusion.

A small example

“All cats are birds; all birds have feathers; therefore all cats have feathers” has a valid form but a false first premise.

Keep in mind

In logic, “valid” has this specific meaning; it is not a synonym for convincing or factually correct.

Source & attribution

Introduction to Philosophy — Types of Inferences

OpenStax contributors · OpenStax, Rice University

CC BY 4.0. Rewritten as a self-contained explanation; the example and reflection are Vakataka additions. Written and edited with AI assistance. No source images reproduced.

Source edition: 2024-03-01T20:57:48Z

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