Soundness

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Logic and rhetoric

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In deductive logic, soundness is a property of arguments importantly related to validity. An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the conclusion to be false while the premises are true, and an argument is sound if and only if (1) it is valid and (2) its premises are in fact true. However, though all sound arguments are valid, not all valid arguments are sound. Ex. (1) If Deepak Chopra knows and employs logic and scientific reasoning, then he does not propagate woo; (2) Deepak Chopra knows and employs logic and scientific reasoning. (3) Therefore, he does not propagate woo. Of course, as is clear, (2) is patently false. However, the inference from (1) and (2) to (3) is valid and thus the argument is valid.

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