Premise

Definition: A premise is a statement that an argument claims will justify a conclusion. A premise supports, and serves as, the basis of an argument and conclusion as, in logic, an argument consists of two propositions, known as the premises, along with another proposition,known as the conclusion. The proof of the conclusion depends on the truth of the premises.
Example: The premise of Ronald Reagan’s “Evil Empire” speech was that the Soviet Union was an evil empire that, was morally corrupt, that threatened the righteous, Christian, loving pillars of American society, and was aggressive against our American rights. Reagan claimed that that premise justified his conclusion that it was right and imperative for the US to fight and eliminate that Soviet power with strong opposition and military force.