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Definition: The distinction between necessary and contingent truths is very similar to the distinction made between a priori / a posteriori and between analytic / synthetic.
A proposition express a necessary truth if and only if denying that proposition would result in a self-contradiction. On the other hand, a proposition expresses a contingent truth is one which can be rationally denied without resulting in any self-contradiction. Thus, for example, the logical principle of the law of identity (a = a) is a necessary truth because in order to rationally deny it, one would have to assume its truth - a self-contradiction.
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Related Resources:
What is an Argument?
It helps to know what, exactly, an argument is before you can critique one and tell what is wrong with it. Sometimes, people say they are making arguments when they are not!How do you critique an argument?
Assuming that we have established that we have an actual argument, the next step is to examine it for validity. There are two points on which an argument might fail: its premises or its inferences.What is a Fallacy?
Fallacies are defects in an argument - other than false premises - which cause an argument to be invalid, unsound or weak. By understanding what fallacies are, you can avoid making them and more easily detect them in the work of others.Index of Fallacies
Known logical fallacies listed in categories and explained as to why they are defects in arguments as opposed to valid reasoning. Examples are included so that you can better see what is happening.
