Is a valid argument guaranteed to have a true conclusion if the premises are true?

• A. Sometimes
• B. Yes
• C. No
• D. Not necessarily

Answer: (B)

Validity means the conclusion cannot be false if the premises are true. In a valid argument, there is no scenario where all the premises are true and the conclusion is false. So, when the premises really are true, the conclusion must also be true. That’s why a valid argument with true premises guarantees a true conclusion. If you also know the premises are actually true, you’ve got a sound argument, and the conclusion is guaranteed true.