In everyday speech, an argument is a fight. In philosophy, it is a structure. An argument is a set of statements in which some, called premises, are offered as support for another, called the conclusion. The premises are supposed to give reasons to accept the conclusion. Whether they succeed is a separate question.

Arguments come in two main forms. Deductive arguments aim to guarantee their conclusions: if the premises are true and the form is valid, the conclusion must be true. Inductive arguments aim to make their conclusions probable. A deductive argument can be valid but unsound if a premise is false. An inductive argument can be strong or weak depending on how much support the premises provide. Philosophers distinguish validity, which concerns form, from soundness, which requires both valid form and true premises. They also distinguish arguments from explanations, which assume the conclusion and try to show why it is so.

Parts of an argument

• Premises. Statements offered as reasons.
• Conclusion. The statement being supported.
• Inference. The link between premises and conclusion.
• Validity. Whether the conclusion follows necessarily.
• Soundness. Validity plus true premises.

Spotting an argument means finding the conclusion and asking what supports it. That skill is central to philosophy, law, science, and everyday decision-making.