Argument
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- In logic, a logical argument is an attempt to proved a demonstration of the truth of a conclusion based on the truth of a set of premises.
- In mathematics, argument is used in at least three senses:
- A parameter or independent variable that is the input to a function. So if f(x) is the value of a function, x is the argument.
- In complex analysis, one component of the mod-arg form of that number. See complex number.
- A proof of a proposition.
- In computer science, an argument is an informal term for actual parameter, which can be variable or value passed into a function, subroutine, or computer program. The usage is analogous to that in mathematics.
- In linguistics, the arguments of a verb are the phrases that make up the sentence with it. This refers especially to the so-called core arguments (subject and object). See verb argument. But other expressions, i.e. predicates, have arguments too: For instance, the argument of the preposition like in 'under the table' is the prepositional object ('the table'). The term is derived from mathematical logic (see above) for in formal linguistics, prediactes are considered functions, to which a truth value can be assigned by applying the predicate (or function) to an argument.
- In , an argument may also mean a dispute, disagreement or antagonistic discussion.
- In oratory or law, an argument may be any presentation of evidence or reasoning in an attempt to persuade the listener of the correctness of the speaker's position. This usage may include logical arguments but may also include other forms of persuasion such as purely emotional arguments.
- Argument (magazine) is the name of a Quebec-based magazine.