Study for the Logical Reasoning STEM Test. Practice with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Prepare for success!

Multiple Choice

Which of the following describes how premises relate to the conclusion in a standard argument?

Premises are the reasons or evidence you start with, and the conclusion is what those reasons support. In a standard argument, you lay out the premises to show why the conclusion should follow. If the premises are true and the reasoning is solid, the conclusion is warranted. Saying the conclusion justifies the premises reverses this relationship—the conclusion may depend on the premises, not the other way around. Premises aren’t independent of the conclusion; they are the basis that leads to it, and a conclusion doesn’t always guarantee that the premises are true or sufficient.

Premises are the reasons or evidence you start with, and the conclusion is what those reasons support. In a standard argument, you lay out the premises to show why the conclusion should follow. If the premises are true and the reasoning is solid, the conclusion is warranted. Saying the conclusion justifies the premises reverses this relationship—the conclusion may depend on the premises, not the other way around. Premises aren’t independent of the conclusion; they are the basis that leads to it, and a conclusion doesn’t always guarantee that the premises are true or sufficient.