Can a good argument be made with a bad premise? Yes. This is done all the time. Not so much in science because all the practitioners know the premises and are not easily deceived. It is a part of their training. You will find the most excellent arguments made upon bad premises* in politics, political speech, and social communication. Sometimes, bad premises are the basis of demagoguery, to incite, to pass legislation, to go to war. Sometimes, we all make great arguments to others, though with an error in the premises. Now, let’s look for a moment at the many types of bad premises. 1. Wishful thinking, or you just hope it is so, or you think it should be so. These are deadly to the listener and the speaker. Both parties are deceived. 2. Expressly for deception. Lawyers make their livings this way with their interpretations of the statues or perhaps what a witness has said. 3. Vagueness is a leading cause for bad premises, as it can lead the reader or listener to
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