1. Only a cogent argument can have a true conclusion.
2. Arguments always assert that their premises are true.
3. It is difficult to argue for an opinion.
4. Statements like “all bachelors are unmarried” are known a posteriori.
5. Statements of the form “If A, then B” are called _____________________.
6. “Collateral damage” is an example of a ____________________________.
7. ARG stands for ______________________________________________.
8. When someone argues against a weak position that is not really held by anyone it is known as a ____________________________________
9. Briefly explain the difference between deductive entailment and inductive support.
10. What is the Principle of Charity?
11. Give two reasons we might have for finding premises to be acceptable. Give two reasons we might have for finding premises to be unacceptable
12. What does it mean to say that one person’s modus ponens is another person’s modus tollens?
13. How do the premises in the following arguments support their conclusions (by linking or converging)?
A. P1) Her illness is either bacterial or viral
P2) We did some tests that showed that her illness is not bacterial
C) Therefore, her illness is viral
B. P1) Apples are red
P2) Cherries are red
P3) Strawberries are red
C) Therefore, apples, cherries and strawberries are red
C. P1) There are lots of opportunities to engage in recreational activities in Michigan.
P2) Michigan’s Dunes are spectacular
P3) Michigan has some cool cities
P4) Real Estate is inexpensive in Michigan
P5) Michigan has a variety of opportunities for employment
C) Michigan is a good place to live, work, and visit
Longer Answer (worth 8 points
each)
14. What, in your own words, is an argument? What role do premises play in arguments? What does it take for an argument to be cogent?
15. In the statement “If A, then B” which is the sufficient condition and which is the necessary condition? Give one condition that is sufficient but not necessary for something to be a toy. Give one condition that is necessary but not sufficient. Explain your answers.
16. Suppose I claim that all birds sing. How would you disprove this claim? Suppose I claim only that some birds sing? How would you disprove this claim? How would you show a statement of the form “If A, then B” to be false?
17. Are the following arguments cogent? Why or why not? (If not cogent which of the ARG conditions do they violate?)
A. P1) If it is raining, it is pouring
P2) It is raining
C) Therefore, it is pouring
B. P1) All MSU students are smart and beautiful
P2) Paula is smart and beautiful
C) Therefore, Paula is an MSU student
C. P1) Some triangles are obtuse
P2) Whatever is obtuse is ignorant
C) Therefore, some triangles are ignorant
D. P1) Different cultures have different moral beliefs
C) Therefore, there is no objective truth in morality
E. P1) John Kerry hung out with Jane Fonda during the Vietnam war protests
C) John Kerry is not fit to be the next U.S. president
F. P1) All mammals have hair
P2) Some warm blooded creatures have hair
C) Some warm blooded creatures are mammals
G. P1) No one has found evidence of any weapons of mass destruction program in Iraq.
C) It is certain that Iraq does not posses weapons of mass destruction.
H. P1) A lot of people died for the freedoms you now enjoy
P2) These freedoms are being slowly eroded away.
C) Therefore we should do everything we can to preserve these valuable freedoms.
18. Extract an argument from each of the following passages (put the argument into standard form), and then evaluate the extracted argument (is it cogent). (Worth 24 points).
A. Smoking on elevators is harmful to others. Moreover, most people support a law banning smoking on elevators. If most people support a law banning smoking on elevators, then we should follow the will of the people and pass a law against it.
B. The fundamental claim of the Declaration of Independence is that all men are created equal. However, people are created very different from one another in many ways. They differ in size, strength, intelligence, and other ways. Moreover, many of these differences result from genetic factors that are present from the time they are created. So it is not true that all men are created equal. It follows that the fundamental claim of the Declaration of Independence is false.
C. Though expensive, the BX fighter plane is well worth it. Senator Dove, who is opposed to funding the BX plane, may be an experienced combat pilot, but his experience came in an earlier war. Times have changed. Given today’s conditions the BX is absolutely essential to our national defense. Our other planes are just not able to adequately avoid our enemy’s detection systems and escape their antiaircraft systems.