Argument from species

All animals are able to feel pain because humans are able to feel pain

The subjects are different and the predicates are the same, so the argument form is beta (a is X because b is X): “All animals (a) are able to feel pain (X) because humans (b) are able to feel pain (X)”.

The conclusion is a universal statement (u) and the premise is a particular statement (p), so the argument substance is ‘up’: “All animals are able to feel pain (u) because humans are able to feel pain (p)”.

The keyword SPECIES describes the relationship between subjects a and b. The argument lever can thus be formulated as “Humans (b) are a SPECIES of all animals (a)” or “all animals (a) are SPECIFIED by humans (b)”.

Other examples

Notes

Apart from beta form arguments with substance ‘up’, those with substance ‘us’ or ‘ps’ also fit the scheme, as the scope of the conclusion is broader than that of the premise.

Traditionally, the name ‘argument from species’ is reserved for beta form arguments with substance ‘up’, ‘us’, or ‘ps’ that have statements of fact (F) as their conclusion and premise. Otherwise, the name ‘argument from example’ is more appropriate.