How can the logical form of an argument determine whether it is valid?

In logic, an argument is considered valid if its logical form guarantees that the conclusion must be true whenever the premises are true. Validity is a property of the argument's structure rather than the actual truth or falsity of its content; it is impossible to conceive of a situation where the premises are true and the conclusion is false.123

In the context of ancient logic, particularly the syllogistic system developed by Aristotle, validity is determined by the arrangement of terms within categorical propositions. Aristotle identified specific patterns of inference, or "moods," that constitute reliable reasoning. By using schematic letters to represent these patterns, he established rules—such as requiring at least one universal and one affirmative premise—to distinguish valid inferences from invalid ones.456

Ultimately, the validity of an argument depends entirely on whether its form is truth-preserving. If the structure of the argument ensures that the conclusion follows of necessity from the premises, the argument is valid, regardless of whether the specific claims made in the premises are factually accurate in the real world.23