Moral Reasoning

What is
moral reasoning?
Moral reasoning
is ordinary critical
reasoning or
critical thinking
applied to moral
arguments.
Critical Thinking

The Art of Reasoning
Well
Critical Thinking
The careful,
systematic
evaluation of
statements and
arguments.




Critical Thinking

Reasoning Well Involves
Arguments
Argument
does not
mean a
verbal
dispute.

Arguments

An Argument Is One or
More Statements, Called
Premises, Attempting to
Prove Another Statement,
Called a Conclusion
Statements and Arguments
The statement
that is being
supported by the
others is the
conclusion.

The supporting
statements are
called premises.

Arguments







Logic: The study
of the formal
principles of
reasoning

Arguments

Deductive
Argument: the
truth of the
premises
guarantees the
truth of the
conclusion
Deductive Arguments
Example (Valid):
1. If it snows,
then it is cold
(premise)
2. It snows
(premise)
3. Therefore, it is
cold (conclusion)





VALID DEDUCTIVE
ARGUMENT: The
argument is in the
proper form
Deductive Arguments
Example (Invalid):
1. If it snows, then it
is cold (premise)
2. It is cold
(premise)
3. Therefore, it
snows (conclusion)


Deductive Arguments
INVALID : The
argument is not in the
proper form.

Informal testing for
deductive validity:
Can You Think of a
counter example?
If yes, the argument is
invalid.




Deductive Arguments
Example:
1. If it snows, then
it is cold (premise)
2. It is not cold
(premise)
3. Therefore, it
does not snow
(conclusion)





Deductive Arguments
Example:
1. If it snows, then it
is cold (premise)
2. It does not snow
(premise)
3. Therefore, it is not
cold (conclusion)


Deductive Arguments
If Tom Cruise is a
bulldog then he
has four legs
(Premise)
Tom Cruise is a
bulldog (Premise)
Therefore, Tom
Cruise has four
legs (Conclusion)









Is the Argument Valid?

Have we proven that
Tom Cruise has four
legs?

Deductive Arguments
If it is determined that the argument
is valid it must next be determined
if the argument is sound.

A sound argument is a valid
argument with true premises.
Deductive Arguments
If Tom Cruise is a
bulldog then he has
four legs
Tom Cruise is a
bulldog
Therefore Tom
Cruise has four legs
Is the Argument
Sound?
Arguments

Inductive
Argument: the
truth of the
premises makes
the truth of the
conclusion more
probable
Inductive Arguments
Examples:

1.All observed emeralds have been found to be
green
2.Therefore, the next observed emerald will be
green.

1.In the past, sugar cubes have dissolved in water
2.Thus, this sugar cube will dissolve in water.

1.70% of BCCC students in the sample are from
Bristol
2. Hence, 70% of BCCC students are from Bristol
Inductive Arguments
Strong Inductive
Argument: Gives
probable support to
its conclusion such
that, if its premise is
true, its conclusion
is also likely to be
true.

Ninety percent of
Students at BCCC
have perfect SAT
scores. Therefore,
John (a student at
BCCC) probably
has a perfect SAT
score.

Inductive Arguments
Weak Inductive
Argument: : Does
not give probable
support to its
conclusion, and
even if its premise
is true, its
conclusion is not
more likely to be
true

One percent of
Students BCCC
have perfect SAT
scores. Therefore,
John (a student at
BCCC) probably
has a perfect SAT
score.

Inductive Arguments
If it is determined that an inductive the
argument is strong it must next be
determined if the argument is cogent.

A cogent inductive argument is a
strong argument with true premises.
Inductive Arguments
Ninety percent of
Students at BCCC
have perfect SAT
scores. Therefore,
John (a student at
BCCC) probably
has a perfect SAT
score.

Is the Argument Strong?
Is the Argument Cogent?

Unstated Premises
Many times
arguments have
one or more
unstated
premises that
need to be added
to support the
conclusion.
Sallys dog is a
bloodhound therefore
it has a keen sense of
smell


Unstated Premises
It is February, so I will
dress warmly
Drugs should not be
legalized
Analyzing Arguments
Reconstruct the Argument

1. Find the conclusion.

2. Find the premises

3. Find any unstated premises

The glove doesnt fit so you
must acquit
Conclusion:
* Defendant should be acquitted
Premise(s):
* The glove doesn't fit the defendant
(premise - stated)
Unstated premises:
* If evidence does not fit the
defendant, then the defendant should
be acquitted (premise - unstated)
* The glove is evidence (premise -
unstated)



Analyzing Arguments
Evaluate the argument

1. Is the argument valid?
(Can I think of a counter
example?)

2. Are the premises true?
Evaluating the Argument
1. Is the argument
valid?
(Can I think of a
counter
example?)

2. Are the premises
true?

If evidence does not
fit the defendant,
then the defendant
should be acquitted
The glove is
evidence
The glove doesn't fit
the defendant
Therefore,
defendant should be
acquitted
Logical Fallacies
Mistakes in logic when presenting our
arguments.

Formal Fallacy: An invalid argument

Informal Fallacy: Type of bad reasoning
that can only be detected by examining the
content of the argument.


Informal Fallacies
Begging the
Question
Assuming what you
are trying to prove

Capital punishment
is wrong because it is
immoral
Informal Fallacies
Ad Hominem Attack
Attack on your
opponent rather that
his or her argument
The only reason that
you think Capital
punishment is wrong is
because you are a
bleeding heart liberal
Informal Fallacies
Straw Man:
Misrepresenting
someones claim or
argument so it can be
more easily refuted


Actual statement:
We should liberalize the
laws on selling alcohol in
PA.

Straw-man characterization:
No. Any society with
unrestricted access to
intoxicants loses its work
ethic and goes only for
immediate gratification.
Informal Fallacies
Red Herring:
Sidetracking the
argument with an
irrelevant issue
Honda makes the
best cars --- No they
dont their workers are
treated poorly


Informal Fallacies
Hasty Generalization:
Drawing general
conclusions from a
small sample
A number of
professional athletes have
been convicted of crimes
therefore all professional
athletes are criminals

Moral Arguments
Every moral
argument should
offer at least one
premise that is a
moral statement.

A moral statement is a
statement affirming that:

An action is right or wrong
A person is good or bad
A persons motive or
character is good or bad

Capital punishment is wrong
Harry should not lie

Moral Arguments
Every moral
argument should
offer at least one
premise that is a
non-moral
statement.

A non-moral statement
is a statement affirming
that something is true or
false, without assigning
a moral value to it.

Many people think that Capital
punishment is wrong
Harry did not lie


Avoiding Bad Arguments
Bad arguments all
share one of the
following two problems:

A conclusion that
doesnt follow from its
premises.

At least one false
premise




Arguments
George bush was a
good president
George Bush was a
bad president