Hu 2000 | Critical thinking and problem solving | Ultimate Medical Academy--Tampa - Tampa, FL
- Premise 1: There is a party at work today.
Premise 2: Jimmy is sick and not at work today. Conclusion: Therefore, Jimmy will _______________ Inductive Argument An inductive argument is an argument that is strong enough that, if the premises (reasoning) were to be true, then it would be unlikely that the conclusion is false. So inductive arguments are STRONG or WEAK depending on the strength and frequency of the premises (reasoning).
EXAMPLE:
Strong - 74% of 20-year-old have a job. 89% of 30-year-olds have a job. Most 20- to 30-year-olds are employed. Weak: John, 20, has a job. Mary, 30, has a job. Most 20- to 30-year olds are employed. **The first argument is much stronger due to the fact that the sample size is much larger. Complete each inductive argument below with a conclusion. Your conclusion may be strong or weak depending upon the strength of your premises.