Critical Thinking
Premise vs Conclusion
Every argument has two parts: the claims doing the supporting (premises) and the claim being supported (the conclusion). Telling them apart is the first move in analysing any argument.
| Aspect | Premise | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Gives reasons or evidence | The claim being argued for |
| Position | Supports | Is supported |
| Signal words | because, since, given that, for | therefore, so, thus, hence, it follows that |
| How many | One or more per argument | Usually one main conclusion |
| Example | "All humans are mortal; Socrates is human." | "Therefore, Socrates is mortal." |
When to use premise
Identify the premises by asking "what reasons are given?" — the statements offered as support, often flagged by words like "because" or "since."
When to use conclusion
Identify the conclusion by asking "what is this trying to convince me of?" — the main point, often flagged by "therefore" or "so."
Frequently asked questions
- How do I find the conclusion of an argument?
- Ask what the speaker is ultimately trying to get you to accept. Signal words like "therefore," "so," and "thus" often mark it — but not always, so the surest test is: which claim is being supported by the others?
- Can a conclusion also be a premise?
- Yes. In a chain of reasoning, one argument’s conclusion can serve as a premise for the next. A statement’s role depends on its function in that particular argument, not the statement itself.
- Do premises have to come before the conclusion?
- No. Conclusions can appear first, last, or in the middle of a passage. Position doesn’t decide role — support does. That’s why identifying signal words and the logical relationship matters more than order.