Chapter 6: Consider the Alternatives

In the first part of Chapter 6 in Epstein’s text, he focuses on the alternatives in arguments. A compound claim is when two or more claims are linked together by a certain word, however, the claim is still seen as one idea. The word that links the claims together is known as an alternative. Alternatives can be both strong and weak; the stronger the alternative is, the stronger the argument will be. A good alternative would be or or therefore because they follow the same criteria for a valid argument. Contradictory of a claim, also known as negation, is when the claim “has the opposite truth-value” (Epstein 114). Along with the contradictory of a claim comes the contradictory of an or claim. In this type of claim, one idea and another idea are linked and contradicted by the word or. On the other hand, contradictory of an and claim is where one idea and another are linked and contradicted by the word and. Finally, Epstein talks about false dilemmas which are claims that have a bad use of not including the chance for the ”or” in the claim to be unbelievable.