Soundness of Author’s Reasoning A sound reasoning, according to Mount Holyoke, is one in which the truth of the premises (if they were true) would guarantee the truth of the conclusion. 2. It describes evidence that is strong enough to support the author’s main idea or belief. 3. The reasoning of the author is sound if and only if it is both valid and all of its premises are actually true. 4. It always intends that the premises provide the sort of justification for the conclusion. 5. If the author’s process of reasoning is good and the premises actually do provide this sort of justification for the conclusion, then the argument is valid
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: 3. The reasoning of the author is sound if and only if it is both valid and all of its premises are actually true.
Explanation:
Sound reasoning is a concept that applies specifically to arguments. An argument is made up of premises (statements or reasons) and a conclusion (the main idea being supported). In logic, an argument is considered valid when the conclusion logically follows from the premises. This means that if the premises were assumed to be true, then the conclusion would also have to be true. However, validity alone does not ensure that the argument is sound.
For reasoning to be sound, two conditions must be met: the argument must be valid, and the premises must actually be true. This is why option 3 is the most accurate definition of sound reasoning. It recognizes that truth and structure both play a role in evaluating an argument.
Option 1 correctly captures the idea of validity but stops short of requiring the actual truth of the premises, so it cannot fully define soundness. Option 2 is too general and relates more to the strength of evidence rather than the specific logical criteria of soundness. Option 4 refers to the intent behind the argument rather than its logical quality, and intention alone does not determine whether reasoning is sound. Option 5 confuses the concepts of validity and soundness by suggesting that the argument is valid if the premises justify the conclusion, but it does not mention the truth of the premises.
Sound reasoning is essential in persuasive and academic writing, as it ensures that conclusions are supported not only by logic but by facts. Without true premises, even a logically perfect argument can lead to a false or misleading conclusion. Hence, the best evaluation of an author’s reasoning includes both checking logical validity and confirming factual accuracy.
