Informal Logic

Informal logic is how people reason in everyday life. It’s based on language, experience, and common sense rather than symbols or strict steps.

Key Features:

  • Uses natural language (like English)

  • Often relies on assumptions, context, or general knowledge

  • Not always strictly valid, but practical and persuasive

Example:

"The sky is very cloudy, so it might rain soon."

This isn’t a rule with a guaranteed outcome, but it’s a reasonable guess based on past experience.

Used in: Chatbots, argument mining, fake news detection, and conversational AI

Informal Logic Tools:

  • Argument maps

  • Fallacy detection (e.g., straw man, slippery slope)

  • Rhetorical analysis

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