Principles and Conclusions

[singh395]

How can you tell the difference between a principle and a conclusion? This is in reference to when a question is asking what role [insert part of argument here] is playing in the argument and one answer choice says "this is the principle" and one says "this is the conclusion".

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Singh395,

Thanks for the question! Principles, by definition, are broad, abstract statements that are typically conditional in nature. A statement such as "whenever one is faced with a dilemma, choose the path that requires the least amount of resources" is a principle, and a principle could be a premise or a conclusion. A conclusion, on the other hand, can be narrow or broad, and concrete or abstract. It is typically a statement that follows from others, and often (but not always) appears in connection with a conclusion indicator such as "hence" or "thus." The way to specifically tell them apart will depend on the context of the problem. So, aside from knowing the roles they play and the the possible types of statements that are encompassed by each, you have to examine the problem in questions, looking at the other argument parts and indicators.

If you would like, let me know which problem spurred you to ask this question and we can talk about these ideas in relation to that specific problem. Thanks!