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anger : A subjective commitment to harm another person. In the first stage may be motivated by some actual harm or wrong, but in the latter stages becomes pure malice motivated only by the will of the sinner. One of the seven deadly sins of Christianity.

Keyword(s): hatewrathmalice

argument : A set of ordered statements one of which, the conclusion, is purported to be proven, by the others, the premises, which provide reasoned evidence for it. An argument is not a mere disagreement. It must start from jointly agreed upon premises to establish a conclusion.

avarice : greed, miserliness. Too great a concentration of the accumulation of material goods. One of the seven deadly sins of Christianity. In the first stage motivated by a fear of loss of the security that material things bring. In the latter stages, where one only accumulates wealth without actually using it, it is motivated by the need for power or control.

Keyword(s): greed

begging the question : This term refers to a failure, in argumentation, to begin from premises or starting points that are non-controversial or common ground assumptions. An argument that begs the question fails to prove anything because it merely assumes precisely what is at issue. Hence, it prompts or begs the further question "Why are these assumed starting points true?" For example the argument: Killing a human person is wrong. Abortion kills the fetus. The fetus is a human person -------------------- Abortion is wrong begs the further questions "Why is the fetus a human person?" The conclusion of an argument that begs the question is not necessarily false. Such an argument merely fails to provide any evidence, but merely restates unexamined assumptions.

Keyword(s): begs the question

cardinal virtues : These are the virtues recognized by the Greeks. They all involve wisdom or the control of the other faculties by reason: 1. wisdom.           2. temperance. 3. justice. 4. courage.

Christian Virtues : The Christian virtues: These are uniquely Christian virtues. They involve particular types of commitments of the will: 1. Faith: a subjective commitment to a truth or trust in God or a person apart from objective evidence. 2. Hope: a subjective commitment to remain interested and engaged in our activities even when their value and success is brought into question. 3. Love (Charity): a commitment to the welfare of a person irrespective of whether they deserve such a concern. Although each of these may be reinforced through reason, they essentially involve a commitment of the will apart from the motivation of reason. Faith is not faith if we believe only because of the evidence. Hope is not hope if we take heart only because their is a reasonable expectation of success. Love is not love if it does not remain when its object shows itself unworthy of this concern.

Keyword(s): Theological Virtues

circular reasoning : A circular argument fails to give a reason for a conclusion, but, instead, merely restates that conclusion, most often in other words. The premises and the conclusion, the starting and ending points of the argument,are the same. Hence, such an argument moves in a circle. Often a premises that restates the conclusion is a hidden assumption of arguments: 1. The bible says God exists. 2. God wrote the bible. 3. God wouldn't lie. ---------------------- God exists. Premise 2 assumes that God exists, and, hence, merely states the conclusion rather than giving evidence for it.

Keyword(s): circular argument

common ground : We will use this term to refer to premises of an argument that are accepted by both sides of an arguement or dispute. Every argument must proceed from premises that are more certain and more likely to be accepted than their conclusion in order to make progress.You must begin from some belief, example, or principle that you opponent agrees with. You cannot prove anything without starting from premises that you opponent accepts. This can be a principle or fact that everyone grants (e.g., 2+2=4, or humans are mammals) or, most often, an example that supports your position that everyone would agree about. In Logic, nothing granted; nothing proven! Failure to start an argument from some common ground, or premise that would be accpted by both sides, is called begging the questions or in extreme cases, circular reasoning.

crucial assumption : The crucial assumptions are merely the answers that each side gives to the crucial issue or crucial question. They are the main reasons why they hold their position. (Some students get confused between the crucial assumptions and the common ground. The crucial issue is the question on which the two sides disagree. The point of argument is to reconcile this difference of opinion and to discover who is right by finding some common standpoint by which the two sides can come to a conclusion on the crucial issue.)

Keyword(s): crucial assumptions

crucial issue : The crucial issue is the main question (or questions) on which the two sides disagree. It is the deeper, central cause of disagreement the two sides have. It is not just a restatement of the main question, but is the deeper question which causes that disagreement. Example: Main Question: Which is the better movie, _Titanic_ or _Schindlers List_? Crucial issue: What makes a movie great: Romance and good feelings or gritty realism that forces us to seem some unpleasant truth? Of course, one might pose the issue differently, but the ideas is that the debate will get nowhere until the two sides realize they are really disagreeing about what makes a movie great, not about the facts about each movie.

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