BUSS 951 Seminar 8 Critical Issues in Information Systems
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Transcript BUSS 951 Seminar 8 Critical Issues in Information Systems
BUSS 951
Critical Issues in Information
Systems
Seminar 8
Arguments
Clarke, R. J (2001) L951-08:
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Argument
Clarke, R. J (2001) L951-08:
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Argument (1)
in all aspects of research we must take care
that we ensure the quality of the argument:
the introduction of the research problem
the examination and analysis of the problem
the presentation of the findings
the analysis and conclusions
if the reasoning is good the argument is
virtually a proof (in general it is hard to do
this in Information Systems because we are
not dealing with a sciences)
Clarke, R. J (2001) L951-08:
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Argument (2)
the simplest kind of argument consists of just
one premise and a conclusion
Premise: a statement that is assumed to be true for
the purpose of the argument from which a
conclusion is drawn, or to be implied by it
Premises are assumptions- they are not reasoned
about and they are not conclusions
“The most prominent political issues are those
about which the press write the most. Therefore
journalists have a great influence in the selection of
political issues around which public debate
revolves”
Clarke, R. J (2001) L951-08:
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Argument (3)
in analysing an argument it is the logical
indicators that we must look to first
there are two fundamental rules to keep in mind:
the rule of grouping: as far as a possible reasons for
the same conclusion should be kept together, and
their similar logical status called to the readers
attention
the rule of direction: where there are a series of
assertions, each being a reason for the next one, the
argument should move in a single direction, so that
the order of the words helps to remind us of the order
of the thought
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Argument (4)
Validity of deductive arguments is determined by
their logical form, not by the content of the statements
which they comprise
True premises and a true
conclusion
All diamonds are hard
Some diamonds are gems
Therefore some gems are hard
Some or all premises false and a
false conclusion
All cats have wings
All dogs are cats
Therefore all dogs have wings
Some or all premises are false
and a true conclusion
All cats have wings
All birds are cats
Therefore all birds have wings
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Argument (5)
Deductive argument infer the particular from the
general:
All humans are mortal
Socrates is human
Therefore Socrates is mortal conclusion
Inductive argument contains the claim that its
premises only provide some support for the
conclusion
Socrates is human and is mortal
Xanthippe is human and is mortal
Sappho is human and is mortal
Therefore probably all human are mortal
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Argument (6)
Venn diagrams provide us with a
clear and untechnical method of
checking the validity of deductive
arguments
Eg. Some engineers are females
Females
Engineers
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