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This means that the fact that an argument is valid does not necessarily mean that its conclusion is true, since it may have started from false premises.

If an argument is valid, and it started from true premises, then it is called a sound argument and a sound argument must arrive at a true conclusion.

The following is an example of argument that has an invalid inference (Line3):

Premise: Taekwondo students are martial artists that workout in a dojang. (True)

Premise: Karate students are martial artists. (True)

Inference: Therefore, Karate students workout in a dojang. (False)

Conclusion: Both Taekwondo students and Karate students workout in a dojang (False)

The following is an example of an argument that is valid, but may or may not be sound:

Premise: Every event has a cause

Premise: The universe has a beginning

Premise: All beginnings involve an event

Inference: This implies that the beginning of the universe involved an event

Inference: Therefore the beginning of the universe had a cause

Conclusion: The universe had a cause

The proposition in statement 4 is inferred from statements 2 and 3. Statement 1 is then used, with the proposition derived in statement 4, to infer a new proposition in statement 5. The result of the inference in statement 5 is then restated as the conclusion.

Spotting arguments

Spotting an argument is harder than spotting premises or a conclusion. Many people pepper their writing with assertions, without ever producing anything that might reasonably be called an argument.

Sometimes arguments do not follow the pattern described above. For example, people may state their conclusions first, and then justify them. This is valid, but it may be a bit confusing.

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