Premise and Conclusion The terms premise and conclusion denote a function.

Thus no proposition taken by itself can

be a premise or a conclusion. They are such only within the context of an argument. An argument may be diagrammed
simply as follows:
Premise/s--------------------------------> Conclusion
What serves as the evidence. / What is supposed to follow from the evidence.
Premise and conclusion are relative terms. One and the same proposition can be a premise in one argument and a
conclusion in another.

All mammals feed their young with milk.

All humans are mammals.
Therefore, all humans feed their young with milk.

All that feed their young with milk are mammals.

All humans feed their young with milk.
Therefore all humans are mammals.
There are clues one can use to pick out the conclusions and the premises of an argument. Certain words in our language
may be used to signal conclusions or premises. They are called indicators.
PREMISE INDICATORS
CONCLUSION INDICATORS
Since, as indicated by, because, for, in that, Therefore, wherefore, accordingly, we may
may be inferred from, as, seeing that, for the conclude, entails that, hence, thus, consequently,
reason that, inasmuch as, given that, may be we may infer that, it must be that, whence, so, it
concluded from, or the reason that, due to the follows that, implies that
fact that
Premise
Shows that
Conclusion
Indicates that
Proves that
Entails that
Implies that
Establishes that
Conclusion
Is shown by
Premise
Is indicated by
Is proven by
Is entailed by
Is implied by
Is established by

An argument is seen more clearly if it is written out in argument form. In this format, the premises are listed first, followed by
a solid line separating them from the conclusion, listed at the bottom. Each statement is numbered and the form is as
follows:
The president, being human, is mortal, as all human beings are mortal.
Premise 1
All human beings are mortals.
Premise 2

The president is a human being.

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Conclusion
Therefore, the president is mortal.
God does not exist because if he did there would be no suffering and evil in the world; but
obviously suffering and evil do exist. Thus, there is not God.
Premise 1
If God existed there would be no suffering and evil in the world.
Premise 2

But obviously suffering and evil do exist.

-----------Conclusion

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Therefore, there is no God