The Four Tests of Acceptability-(short summary)
First test
● Are the premises all true?
● Business is like war; true or false?
● How so?
Second test
● Are there counterexamples and how difficult is it to imagine
them?
Third test
● Are the premises relevant to the truth of the conclusion?
● Burden of proof is on the arguer to establish relevance
Fourth test
● Does the truth of any premise depend on the truth of the
conclusion?
● What we know about war to what we project about
business…
First test
● Are the premises all true?
● Business is like war; true or false?
● How so?
Second test
● Are there counterexamples and how difficult is it to imagine
them?
Third test
● Are the premises relevant to the truth of the conclusion?
● Burden of proof is on the arguer to establish relevance
Fourth test
● Does the truth of any premise depend on the truth of the
conclusion?
● What we know about war to what we project about
business…
