http://www.csus.edu/indiv/j/justing/phil004/4.lecturechp.3b.

htm
Complex arguments:

An argument is complex when the support in an argument is itself supported.

Examples of complex argument:

S1: The killing was premediated.

S2:He had plenty of time to think about it.

S3: Several days prior to the murder, he bought the gun.

S4: There is no evidence that he is suffering from any mental disorder.

http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/arg/complex.php
A complex argument is a set of arguments with either overlapping premises or
conclusions (or both). Complex arguments are very common because many issues
and debates are complicated and involve extended reasoning. To understand
complex arguments, we need to analyze the logical structure of the reasoning
involved. Drawing a diagram can be very helpful.

http://people.wku.edu/jan.garrett/arganals.htm
(Complex) Argument: a set of statements, one of which is the final conclusion, the
others of which are intermediate conclusions or ultimate premises meant as support
of the final conclusion.

Informal Example:

Hear me now and believe me later. The stars are gods, for whatever is
everlasting, intelligent and beneficial must be a god. And the stars have all three
qualities. They don't seem to change, as anyone can observe. So they must be
everlasting. They move in perfectly patterned ways, and whatever moves in
perfectly patterned way displays intelligence. So they must be intelligent. What's
more, the stars are beneficial because we are able to tell time accurately thanks to
stellar movement.

Analyzed form:

In the formalized argument set out below,

"P" designates a premise.
"IC" designates an intermediate conclusion.
"FC" designates the final conclusion.
(See definitions below.)

(1, P) The stars don't seem to change.

(2, IC) They are everlasting beings. (1)

(3, P) They move in perfectly patterned ways.

(4, P) Whatever moves in a perfectly patterned way displays intelligence.
 (5, IC) they are intelligent beings. (3, 4)

(6, P) The movements of the stars help us tell time accurately.

(7, IC) They are beneficial. (6)

(8, P) Whatever is everlasting, intelligent, and beneficial must be a god.

(9, FC) the stars are gods. (2, 5, 7, and 8)

This complex argument contains four interlinked simple arguments. The logic of the
first three should be obvious. The fourth argument takes as premises the
conclusions of the first three simple arguments (2, 5, 7), together with a new
premise (8). The final conclusion (9) is the conclusion of the fourth simple argument.

Conclusion: the statement that is supposedly supported by the premises (reasons or

grounds) in an argument.

Premise: a statement that is presented as support for a conclusion.

Intermediate conclusion: a conclusion that is meant to serve as a premise for a later

conclusion (possibly the final conclusion of a complex argument). 2, 5, and 7 are
intermediate conclusions in the complex argument given above.

Ultimate premise: within a complex argument, a premise that is not presented as

supported by still other premises. (1, 3, 4, 6 and 8 are ultimate premises in the
complex argument given above.)

Final conclusion: the conclusion of a complex argument, a conclusion that does not
serve as a premise for any other conclusion in the same argument. 9 is the final
conclusion of the complex argument example above.

https://books.google.com.ph/books?
id=1xEVkzuX5e0C&pg=PA108&lpg=PA108&dq=logic+complex+arguments&source
=bl&ots=DgJwUxL3CK&sig=zaXn6rmVx3LmLk164OJL23DhJR8&hl=en&sa=X&redir_
esc=y#v=onepage&q=logic%20complex%20arguments&f=false

http://www.sjsu.edu/people/anand.vaidya/courses/c4/s2/Logic-and-Critical-
Reasoning-Book.pdf