Smart Thinking: Skills for Critical Understanding and Writing, 2nd Ed

GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS 179

other premise(s) supports the conclusion. A framing premise must be used in a

chain with other premises. Compare with dependent premise. (See chapter 4.)

generalisation, reasoning from

The conclusion is about a specific case; the premises show that the case fits some
general category, and they state the particular property or consequence that pertains
to all members of the general category. The key questions to ask about a particular
case are: Does it fit this generalisation? And, if so, what general knowledge thereby
applies to this case? (See chapter 7.)

implied premise

A premise not explicitly stated in an argument or explanation that, nevertheless,
can be inferred by a reader as being necessary to make sense of the reasoning.
Implied premises are often associated with the use of apparently independent prem-
ises. Compare with assumption. (See chapter 5.)

independent premise

A single premise that expresses a reason for a conclusion on its own. An inde-
pendent premise is likely to be a sign that there are implied dependent premises.
(See chapter 4.)

induction

Reasoning in which the conclusion may be more or less likely if the premises are

true but which is not conclusively guaranteed even if all the premises are true. We

see induction in arguments that depend on the observation and reporting of real-

world events which, by their nature, can never be certain. The opposite of deduc-

tion. (See chapter 7.)

information

Information is often thought to be a more disorganised, unprocessed version of

knowledge. Information is a collection of claims; knowledge is that informa-

tion processed and interrelated. In this book, knowledge and information are

used interchangeably, but the basic idea that reasoning enables us to organise

what we know is still important. Compare with knowledge. (See chapters 8 and

9.)

internal connection (within a claim)

The key property of claims that allows them to be used in reasoning to express

complex ideas. Internal connections provide the basis for the external links between

claims. Compare with dependent premise. (See chapter 2.)

intersubjective

Knowledge is said to be intersubjective when the decisions about the 'truth' of

claims and claim relationships are made by 'subjects' (that is, people)—in this case