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5.5 Premise and Inference Rebuttals

The same general story applies to rebuttals (objections to objections).  There are premise rebuttals and inference rebuttals.

This rebuttal is a premise rebuttal.  It provides evidence that the premise of the first objection is false.	This example from Tutorial 4 is an inference rebuttal. It doesn't deny that NASA can't produce photos of the equipment.  It says, rather, that you shouldn't infer that astronauts didn't land on the Moon.

A premise rebuttal is an objection to an objection which provides evidence that one of the stated premises of that objection is false.

An inference rebuttal is an objection to another objection which provides evidence against the inference from the stated premises of that other objection to the falsity of its contention.  

Terminology: Premise objections vs Premise rebuttals

When should you use the term "premise objection" as opposed to "premise rebuttal"?  Easy:

• any objection to a premise is a premise objection
• a premise objection is also a premise rebuttal if it is a rebuttal, i.e., an objection to an objection

In short, a premise rebuttal is an objection to an objection which targets a premise.

 Last updated 28-Nov-2006