What distinguishes a conclusion from an inference in Critical Reasoning?

What distinguishes a conclusion from an inference in Critical Reasoning?

• A. A conclusion is explicitly drawn from the argument; an inference is a reasonable but not stated deduction.
• B. An inference is explicit; a conclusion is implicit.
• C. They are the same.
• D. A conclusion is always false.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is distinguishing what the argument explicitly says from what can be reasoned from it. A conclusion is the explicit claim the argument is making—the statement the premises are used to establish. An inference is the reasonable deduction you derive from the premises, which may not be stated by the author. So this item best matches the idea that a conclusion is explicitly drawn from the argument, while an inference is a reasonable but not stated deduction. For example, if the premises say “All humans are mortal” and “Socrates is a human,” the explicit conclusion is “Socrates is mortal.” A related, unspoken inference you might make is that “Socrates will die someday,” which follows from the premise but isn’t necessarily stated by the author.

The main idea here is distinguishing what the argument explicitly says from what can be reasoned from it. A conclusion is the explicit claim the argument is making—the statement the premises are used to establish. An inference is the reasonable deduction you derive from the premises, which may not be stated by the author. So this item best matches the idea that a conclusion is explicitly drawn from the argument, while an inference is a reasonable but not stated deduction. For example, if the premises say “All humans are mortal” and “Socrates is a human,” the explicit conclusion is “Socrates is mortal.” A related, unspoken inference you might make is that “Socrates will die someday,” which follows from the premise but isn’t necessarily stated by the author.