Understanding Deductive Arguments, Exams of Philosophy

Download Understanding Deductive Arguments and more Exams Philosophy in PDF only on Docsity! Week 4 Checkpoint Based on what you have read in the text, the lecture, and any other sources you find helpful to your understanding of deductive arguments, explain the structure of a deductive argument in your own words. Your Answer: a deductive argument basically has two premises and one conclusion based on the premises. In order for the conclusion to be true, the premises must be true as well. If thee premise are false, then the conclusion might be false also. Deductive reasoning mainly focuses on facts and not inferences. Go to the box “Deductive Reasoning” (in the beginning of Chapter 8). Read the last paragraph there. Based on that reading and any other sources you find helpful to your understanding, describe the part that “rules, operating conditions, core beliefs, values, policies, principles, procedures, and terminology” (p. 159) play in deductive arguments. Your Answer: Rules, operating conditions, core beliefs, values, policies, principles, procedures, and terminology plays an important role in a deductive argument. A valid deductive argument is based on on-premises and a conclusion that has to be true. Therefore, you must combine all the above rules in order to formulate the premises and a conclusion that is 100% true. Without these, it is possible for an argument to fail the test of logical strength In the introduction to Chapter 8, the text sets forth a specific definition of the term “valid” as it applies to deductive arguments. What is that definition? Your Answer: The author defines the term "valid" as it pertains to deductive argument. According to the author, the term "valid" refers to an in which all the premises are assumed to be. Therefore, it is possible for a conclusion to be false. Use the following template to create a valid Denying the Consequent argument example: If then It is not the case that Therefore, it is not the case that Example: For a template such as “Either A or B. Not A. Therefore B” you would answer: “Either tuition increases, or I graduate in two years. Tuition will not increase. Therefore, I will graduate in two years.” Do this for all five templates. Templates • Either A, B, or C. Not C. So, A or B. • It is not the case that both A and B are true. So, either A is not true or B is not true. • Neither B nor C is true. So, B is false. • B unless C. Not B. So, C. • A only if B. A. Therefore, B. Check the Logical Strength of each argument you have written. If it lacks logical strength, check the table Grammatically Equivalent Structures (in Chapter 8) to be sure you are interpreting the words correctly. Your Answer: Argument 1 - I will graduate in two years unless I obtain an unlimited amount of cash. I will not be graduating in two years, so that means I will obtain an unlimited amount of cash. Argument 2- Tuition will increase only if I graduate in two years. Tuition will increase. Therefore, I will be graduating in two years. Argument 3- Either tuition increases, I graduate in two years, or I obtain unlimited cash. No way will I obtain an unlimited amount of cash. Therefore, either tuition increases or I have to graduate in two years. Argument 4- Neither graduating in two years or nor obtaining unlimited cash is true. so, graduating in two years is false. Argument 5- It is not the case that both tuitions will increase and I graduate in two years. So, either it is not true that tuition will increase or it is not true that I will graduate in two years. Transivity, reflexivity, and identity refer to what kind of reasoning? Your Answer: According to the author, we regularly rely upon transitivity, reflexivity, and identity when. using a valid argument. Using what you learned in Chapter 8 section Applying a Generalization, construct an argument proving that your Chamberlain major will place you in the category of healthcare worker. Your Answer: Premise 1 - So, when I have completed my major, I will be placed in a category of healthcare worker Premise 2- Every person who completed their major in Nursing, and followed their path after college will be classified as a healthcare worker. Premise 3 - I am majoring in nursing and will follow that path after college A local newspaper serving a mid-sized U.S. city whose population is about 300,000 surveyed 40 retail businesses. Of the businesses surveyed, 70% said they were planning little or no hiring of extra workers during the coming Christmas season. The newspaper concluded that consumer spending would likely be down for Christmas this year, since retailers were not anticipating extra holiday business. Evaluate the newspaper’s generalization about consumer holiday spending using what you have learned in Chapter 9, including the four questions suggested by the text: • Was the correct group sampled? • Were the data obtained in an effective way? • Were enough cases considered? • Was the sample representatively structured? Your Answer: By evaluating the newspaper's generalization about consumer holiday spending, I would say the claim is not warranted. I believe consumer spending may remain constant, without any increases or decreases. This is an inductive argument. What is a correlation? What is a statistically significant correlation? Your Answer: A correlation is a term that refers to the connection, or the relationship, between two things. According to the textbook, a statistically significant correlation is one in which the relationship between the two events is viewed as not likely to happen or by chance. Go to Individual Exercises at the end of Chapter 9. Go to Example 12. What test does this argument fail? What fallacy does the argument contain? Your Answer: This argument fails the test of relevance. In the test of relevance, the truth of the claim must depend on the truth of the premises. The claims could possibly be true, but the premises can be false. This is because the premises and the claim lack a direct relationship. The argument also contains a common fallacy. This fallacy is known as the Playing with Numbers Fallacy. This fallacy is when statistics are provided to support the claim, but the argument does not provide the needed information to determine how reliable those numbers are (how many people were surveyed). The argument fails the Test of Logical Strength