Quick questions on Evaluating arguments explained: H2 Knowledge and Inquiry

Every argument evaluation reduces to two independent questions. First, does the conclusion follow from the premises? For a deductive argument this is the question of validity; for an inductive one it is the question of strength. Second, are the premises actually true?

Premises often rest on sources, so evaluating them means assessing those sources. The main criteria are: expertise (is the source qualified in the relevant field?); track record (has it been accurate before?); independence (does it have an interest in the conclusion?); primary versus secondary status (first-hand evidence or a report of a report?); transparency of method (can the claim be checked?); and corroboration (do independent sources agree?). Reliability is a matter of degree assessed across these criteria, not a yes or no.

A biased source, one with an interest in the conclusion, warrants extra scrutiny, but bias does not make a claim false. To reject a claim solely because of its source is the genetic fallacy, and to reject an argument solely by attacking the arguer is ad hominem. The correct response to bias is to look harder for independent corroboration and to check the method, not to dismiss the content outright.

State the two independent questions at the core of argument evaluation. [6 marks]

List four criteria for assessing the reliability of a source. [6 marks]

Explain why discovering that a source is biased does not by itself refute its claim. [8 marks]