Logic & Argument
Knowledge · 104 words
Levelsall
Practise these 104 words
Learn with flashcardsno clock, no typing
The words
104 words
- abduction/əbˈdʌk.ʃn̩/noun · C2Reasoning to the best available explanation.
- ad hominemnoun · C2Attacking the person instead of their argument.
- all else being equalphrase · C1Assuming nothing else changes.
- ambiguity/æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/noun · C1Being open to more than one reading.
- anecdotal[ˌænɪkˈdəʊ̯tɫ̩]adjective · C1Based on single stories rather than evidence.
- argument/ˈɑːɡjʊmənt/noun · A2+An angry exchange of words between people who disagree.
- assert/əˈsɜːt/verb · B2+To state firmly and stand behind it.
- assumption/əˈsʌm(p).ʃ(ə)n/noun · B2Something taken as true without checking.
- axiom/ˈak.sɪ.əm/noun · C1A statement accepted without proof as a starting point.
- begging the question/ˈbɛɡɪŋ ðə ˈkwɛst͡ʃən/phrase · C2Assuming the very thing you are meant to prove.
- benchmark/ˈbɛnt͡ʃmɑːk/noun · B2+The standard other performances are measured against.
- bias/ˈbaɪ.əs/noun · B2+A leaning that stops you judging fairly.
- bolster/ˈbɒlstə/verb · C1To prop up and strengthen — confidence, an argument, an economy.
- by definitionphrase · B2True simply because of what the word means.
- causation/kɔːˈzeɪ.ʃən/noun · C1The relationship where one thing genuinely produces another.
- caveat/ˈkævɪæt/noun · C1A warning about a limit or condition.
- certainty/ˈsɝtn̩ti/noun · B2Being completely sure.
- circular reasoningnoun · C1Using your conclusion as one of your reasons.
- claim/kleɪm/noun · B1A statement put forward as true.
- coherence/kəʊˈhɪəɹ.ən(t)s/noun · B2+Hanging together as a sensible whole.
- concede/kənˈsiːd/verb · C1To reluctantly accept that the other side is right.
- concession/kənˈsɛʃən/noun · C1Admitting a point your opponent has made.
- conclusion/kənˈkluːʒən/noun · B1What an argument says follows from its reasons.
- consistency/kənˈsɪs.tən.si/noun · C1Being free of contradiction.
- contradiction/ˌkɒntɹəˈdɪkʃən/noun · B2+Two statements that cannot both be true at once.
- corollary/kɒˈɹɒləɹi/noun · C2Something that follows immediately from what is proved.
- correlation/ˌkɒɹ.əˈleɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+A statistical link between two things — which is not yet causation.
- corroborate/kəˈɹɒbəɹeɪ̯t/verb · C1To confirm what somebody else has found.
- counterargumentnoun · B2+A piece of reasoning put forward to oppose the reasoning someone else has already given.
- counterexamplenoun · C1One case that shows a general claim is false.
- criterion/kɹɪˈtɪəɹi.ən/noun · B2+A single standard used to judge something — its plural ends in -a.
- deduction/dɪˈdʌkʃən/noun · B2+Reasoning from a general rule down to a particular case.
- dilemma/daɪˈlɛmə/noun · B2A choice between two options, both of them bad.
- disproofnoun · C2Reasoning that shows something is false.
- dispute/dɪˈspjuːt/verb · B2To argue that something is not so.
- dogmatic/dɒɡˈmæt.ɪk/adjective · C1Insisting on beliefs without allowing question.
- doubt/daʊt/noun · B1The uneasy feeling that something may not be true.
- entail/ɛnˈteɪl/verb · C1To make something follow as a necessity.
- equivocation/ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃən/noun · C2Sliding between two meanings of a word mid-argument.
- evidence/ˈɛv.ɪ.dəns/noun · B1Facts brought forward to support a claim.
- fallacy/ˈfæl.ə.si/noun · C2A piece of reasoning that looks good and is not.
- false dilemmanoun · C1Pretending there are only two options when there are more.
- falsify/ˈfɒlsɪfaɪ/verb · C1To show something false, or to fake evidence.
- follow/ˈfɒləʊ/verb · A1To go behind someone, the same way they go.
- framing/ˈfɹeɪmɪŋ/noun · B2Deciding what goes in the picture and what stays out.
- generalisationnoun · B2+A claim about a whole group from a few cases.
- hold/həʊld/verb · A1To keep something in your hands.
- hypothesis/haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs/noun · B2+A scientist's educated guess, waiting to be tested.
- implication/ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃən/noun · B2+What a statement commits you to without saying it.
- imply/ɪmˈplaɪ/verb · B2To suggest something without saying it straight out.
- in principlephrase · B2True in theory, whatever happens in practice.
- induction/ɪnˈdʌkʃən/noun · C1Reasoning from particular cases up to a general rule.
- infer/ɪnˈfɜː/verb · B2+To read between the lines and draw the unspoken conclusion.
- inference/ˈɪn.fə.ɹəns/noun · C1A conclusion reached from evidence rather than stated outright.
- invalid/ɪnˈvæl.ɪd/adjective · B2Reasoned so that the conclusion does not follow.
- justification/ˌd͡ʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun · B2+The grounds on which a belief is held.
- leading questionnoun · C1A question worded to suggest its own answer.
- loaded questionnoun · C1A question that smuggles in an assumption.
- negation/nɪˈɡeɪʃn̩/noun · C1The denial of a statement.
- non sequitur/ˌnɒn ˈsɛk.wɪ.tə/noun · C2A conclusion that simply does not follow.
- objectivity/ˌɒbd͡ʒɛkˈtɪvɪti/noun · C1Judging without letting your feelings interfere.
- on balancephrase · C1Taking everything into account.
- open-minded/ˈəʊ.pən ˈmaɪn.dɪd/adjective · B2Willing to consider ideas you do not hold.
- paradox/ˈpæ.ɹəˌdɒks/noun · B2+A statement that contradicts itself yet somehow rings true.
- persuasion/pəˈsweɪʒ(ə)n/noun · B2+Bringing somebody to your view by reasons.
- plausibilitynoun · C1How believable something is.
- posit/ˈpɒzɪt/verb · C2To put something forward as a starting point.
- precision/pɹɪˈsɪʒ.ən/noun · C1Being exact and definite.
- prejudice/ˈpɹɛd͡ʒədɪs/noun · B2A judgement formed before the evidence.
- premise/ˈpɹɛm.ɪs/noun · C1The starting assumption an argument is built on.
- presupposition/pɹiː.sʌ.pəˈzɪ.ʃ(ə)n/noun · C2Something an argument takes for granted before starting.
- principle/ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pəl/noun · B2A basic truth other reasoning rests on.
- probability/ˌpɹɒb.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/noun · B2How likely something is to be true.
- proof/pɹuːf/noun · B1The reasoning that shows something must be true.
- propaganda/ˌpɹɒpəˈɡændə/noun · B2+One-sided material spread to shape belief.
- proposition/ˌpɹɑpəˈzɪʃən/noun · C1A statement that is either true or false.
- qualification/ˌkwɒlɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun · B2+The official paper or skill that proves you can do a job.
- qualify/ˈkwɒl.ɪ.faɪ/verb · B1+To earn the right to enter or do something.
- rebut/ɹɪˈbʌt/verb · C1To argue against a criticism.
- rebuttal/ɹɪˈbʌt.əl/noun · C1An answer that argues against a criticism.
- red herringnoun · C1Introducing something irrelevant to distract.
- refute/ɹɪˈfjuːt/verb · C1To prove a claim wrong.
- rhetoric/ˈɹɛtəɹɪk/noun · C1The art of speaking to persuade — and, often, empty grand talk.
- rhetorical questionnoun · C1A question asked without wanting an answer.
- rigour/ˈɹɪɡə(ɹ)/noun · C1Strictness and care in reasoning.
- scepticismnoun · C1The habit of demanding evidence before believing.
- scope/skəʊp/noun · B2How far a claim is meant to apply.
- slippery slope/ˌslɪ.pə.ɹiˈsləʊp/noun · C1Claiming one small step must lead to disaster.
- sophistry/ˈsɒ.fɪ.stɹi/noun · C2Clever reasoning designed to mislead.
- sound/ˈsaʊ̯nd/adjective · C1Valid, and built on premises that are actually true.
- spin/spɪn/noun · C1Presenting facts so they favour one side.
- straw mannoun · C1Attacking a weakened version of somebody's argument.
- substantiate/səbˈstænʃieɪt/verb · C2To back a claim with evidence.
- syllogism/ˈsɪlədʒɪz(ə)m/noun · C2An argument of two premises and a conclusion.
- theory/ˈθɪə.ɹi/noun · B1A well-tested explanation of why things happen the way they do.
- thesis/ˈθiːsɪs/noun · B2+The main position a piece of work argues for.
- threshold/ˈθɹɛʃəʊld/noun · B2+The level at which something starts to count.
- trade-offnoun · B2Giving up some of one good thing to get another.
- undermine/ˌʌn.dəˈmaɪn/verb · B2+To weaken an argument from underneath.
- vaguenessnoun · C1Having no clear boundary of meaning.
- valid/ˈvælɪd/adjective · B2Legally or logically holding up; still in force.
- verify/ˈvɛɹɪfaɪ/verb · B2To check that something is actually so.
- warrant/ˈwɒɹənt/noun · B2The judge's written permission police need to search or arrest.
- weigh evidencephrase · B2To compare the strength of what supports each side.