Logic as (Normative) Inference Theory: Formal vs. Non-formal Theories of Inference Goodness

Abstract

I defend a conception of Logic as normative for the sort of activities in which inferences super-vene, namely, reasoning and arguing. Toulmin’s criticism of formal logic will be our framework to shape the idea that in order to make sense of Logic as normative, we should con-ceive it as a discipline devoted to the layout of arguments, understood as the representations of the semantic, truth relevant, properties of the inferences that we make in arguing and reason-ing.

Keywords

• formal/informal logic
• inference
• normative theory of inference
• Toulmin’s model of argument