A premise is a reason we believe something else is true, and that something else is called a conclusion.
Imagine you're trying to get your favorite snack from the kitchen. You see your brother has the snack, so you say, "He has the snack." That’s your conclusion, what you believe is happening right now. But why do you think he has the snack? Maybe you heard him say earlier, "I'm going to eat my favorite snack!" So that's your premise, a reason or clue that helps you reach your conclusion.
Like Building with Blocks
Think of premises as blocks you stack up. Each block is a little piece of information. When you’ve stacked enough blocks, you can build a tower, and that’s your conclusion. For example:
- Block 1: "I saw the snack on the table."
- Block 2: "My brother took it from there."
Stack them together, and your conclusion is, "He has the snack!" Just like stacking blocks to make something bigger.
So next time you're figuring things out, remember, premises are your clues, and conclusions are what you believe based on those clues.
Examples
- A person says, 'I'm tired because I stayed up late.' The premise is 'I stayed up late,' and the conclusion is 'I'm tired.'
- 'If it rains, the ground gets wet. It rained today.' The first sentence is a premise, and the second leads to the conclusion that the ground is wet.
- A child says, 'All dogs are friendly. My dog is a dog, so my dog must be friendly.' The premises are 'All dogs are friendly' and 'My dog is a dog,' while the conclusion is 'My dog must be friendly.'
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See also
- What Is a Cogent Argument?
- How Does Logical Arguments - Modus Ponens & Modus Tollens Work?
- How Does Intro to Logic Part 2: Premises vs Conclusions Work?
- How Does A Very Basic Introduction to Logic and Syllogistic Logic Work?
- How Does The 7 Building Blocks of Effective Arguments Work?