What is required for a statement to qualify as an argument?

For a statement to qualify as an argument, it is essential that it contains one or more premises that support a conclusion. An argument is fundamentally about the relationship between premises and a conclusion, where the premises are intended to provide support or justification for that conclusion. This means that the structure of an argument relies on the logical connection between the statements, rather than merely presenting information or opinions.

The presence of premises is critical because they provide the foundational evidence or reasoning that leads to the conclusion, making the argument coherent and persuasive. In essence, an argument's validity and strength depend on how well the premises support the conclusion presented.