Methods of Stating an Argument.

273. Methods of Stating an Argument. We
have learned that an argument consists of a propo¬sition to be proved, together with a statement of the proofs of the proposition. Thus :
John is a mortal — the proposition.
For 1. John is a man, and 1.
the reasons.
z. All men are mortal,
There are other ways of stating an argument.
1.	The reasons may be given as hypotheses :
If All men are mortal, and }
the reasons.
If John is a man,
Then John is mortal— the proposition.
2.	The reasons may be given as statements and the conclusion drawn from them introduced by the word therefore
All men are mortal,
} the reasons.
John is a'man
Therefore John is mortal— the proposition.
It can be seen that the last two methods of state¬ment can be reduced to the first, and that what is true of the first type in regard to motives, material,- and structure is true also of the other two.
The last two forms which put the conclusion at the close are used both in the paragraph and in the theme when we fear that our listeners will disagree with us in regard to the conclusion if we state it before giving our reasons.