Antecedent | In a conditional statement, the component that immediately follows the word "if," 40, 295
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Argument | A claim defended with reasons. More precisely, an argument is a set of statements, one of which (called the conclusion) is claimed or intended to be supported by the others (called the premises), 25, 50; cogent, 82--83, 222--223, 310, 312; complex, 32--33; deductive, 52--67, 83; explanation and, 42--43; inductive, 52--62, 67, 71, 83, 305--350; invalid, 74--78, 83; not a fight, 407--409; simple, 32--33; sound, 78, 83, 222--223, 310; strong, 78, 83, 222, 305, 312; uncogent, 82--83, 312; unsound, 78, 83; valid, 74--78, 83, 222, 276, 286; weak, 79-83, 305, 312
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Complex argument | An argument that contains at least one subconclusion, 32--33
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Conclusion | The statement in an argument that the premises are claimed or intended to support, 25, 50; in argumentative essays, 438-439; main, 32-33; missing, 205-207; subconclusions, 33
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Conclusion indicators | Words or phrases that provide clues when a conclusion is being offered, 30
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Conditional statement | An "if...then" statement, 39--40, 196, 295--301
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Consequent | In a conditional statement, the part that immediately follows the word "then," 40, 295
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Explanandum | The part of an explanation that is explained, 42
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Explanans | The part of an explanation that does the explaining, 42
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Explanation | A statement or set of statements that is primarily intended to provide an account of why something is the case, rather than to prove that it is the case, 38, 41--43
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Illustrations | Statements intended to provide examples of a claim rather than to prove the claim, 41-42
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Indicator words | Words or phrases that provide clues when a premise or conclusion is being offered, 29-31, 306
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Main conclusion | In a complex argument, the main point or final conclusion an arguer seeks to establish, 33
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Ought imperative | A sentence that has the grammatical form of an imperative or command ("Do X") but is intended to assert a value or "ought" judgment ("You ought to do X"), 26--27
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Premise indicator | A word or phrase that indicates when a premise is being offered, 29-30
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Premises | Statements in an argument offered as reasons or evidence for a conclusion, 25, 50; evaluating, 99-101, 223-227; listing opposing, 422; listing supporting, 420-421
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Principle of charity | A principle of interpretation that requires that unclear passages or arguments be interpreted in the way most favorable the speaker or writer, 41--42, 59-60, 203--204, 206, 291
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Report | A statement or set of statements intended simply to convey information about a given subject: 38--39
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Simple argument | An argument that contains no subconclusions, 32--33
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Statement | A sentence that can sensibly be regarded as true or false, 25--26, 196, 213-214, 542 n. 1
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Subconclusion | A subordinate or intermediate conclusion in an argument, 33, 208--209
| ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | Unsupported statement of belief or opinion | A statement of personal belief or opinion that is not supported by reasons or evidence, 38--39
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