Context Indicators?

Comments

• Bumblebee Member

  February 2019 640 karma

  "Although But However" can introduce premises, context, or the conclusion, depending on the argument.

  For example:

  Many biologists say X causes Y, but some chemists think Z causes Y. However, I think neither are correct because my research indicates that Y causes X and Z.

  Here, "but" introduces the context, and "however" introduces the author's conclusion.

  Here is another example:

  Many biologists say X causes Y. However, some chemists think Z causes Y. But my research indicates that Y causes X and Z. Thus, neither these biologists nor these chemists are correct.

  Here, "however " introduces the context, and "but" introduces the author's premise.

  The meaning and role of these words all depend on how the argument is structured as a whole.

  But, there are certain indicators that reliably introduce conclusions like "therefore, thus" and certain indicators that almost always introduce premises like "after all, since, because".

  These words are more predictable indicators than the ones you discussed.
• FixedDice Member

  February 2019 1804 karma

  The world would be a perfect place if those words indicated context every single time (and the global workforce would be operating on a four-weekday calendar, and we would have conquered cancer and hair loss).

  It all depends on the context.
• lsatstudy18 Alum Member

  February 2019 156 karma

  Ah okay, now I understand! Thank you!