Exam 1: Basic Concepts

We are immersed in life. We breathe it in, we walk on it, we touch it. Each footstep on a fertile lawn or forest mat will send tremors to trillions of bacteria, millions of algae, fungi, and protozoa, and hundreds of insects and worms. The skin on our bodies, when viewed microscopically, is a teeming matrix of tiny caverns filled with bacteria, viruses, and mites. So dense are the unseen life forms on our bodies that they form an almost complete shell about each of us. Gary S. Moore, Living with the Earth, 3^rd ed.

In the expression, "Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize because he was perceived as being committed to the resolution of international conflicts through diplomacy and not warfare," the statement "Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize" is called the:

Given that 2x - 1 = 13. It follows that x = 6.

Aristotle focused on clarifying the concept of virtue itself. He argued that it was virtuous to choose the proper amount of emotion and/or action called for in a particular situation and that extremes of emotion and action were vices. In all communities there are some men of practical wisdom who have the capacity to judge wisely. Aristotle argued that they have the capacity to follow the "right rule" whatever the situation. David Cooper, Value Pluralism and Ethical Choice

Developing an AIDS vaccine is not impossible, as some skeptics claim. Research suggests that the human immune system is better at fighting HIV than was originally thought. Most of those infected suppress the virus for years without developing AIDS. A small number never contract the virus despite repeated exposures. If we can figure out the mechanism that accounts for this, we'll have clues about how to engineer a vaccine. Seth Berkley, "Don't Quit on an AIDS Vaccine"

Which of the following are all deductive arguments?

Which of the following is an inductive argument?

No drug cartels are legal operations, so no legal operations are enterprises that engage in smuggling, because all drug cartels are enterprises that engage in smuggling.

Good intentions aside, there are compelling reasons to avoid water fluoridation. Hydrofluosilic acid, the industrial waste product used in municipal water systems, is contaminated with arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals. There are significant increases in lead levels in children who drink fluoridated water. A 2015 Harvard study found a fivefold to sevenfold increase in bone cancer in exposed young men. Sadly, the youngest children are the most susceptible. David S. Banks, Letter to the Editor

If corporations continue to pollute, then the environment will be damaged beyond repair. The environment will be damaged beyond repair. Therefore, corporations will continue to pollute.

Anything can be measured. If a thing can be observed in any way at all, it lends itself to some type of measurement method. No matter how "fuzzy" the measurement is, it's still a measurement if it tells you more than you knew before. And challenges posed by those things most likely to be seen as immeasurable are, virtually always, met by relatively simple measurement methods. Dougles W. Hubbard, How to Measure Anything

Any argument in which the conclusion actually follows with strict necessity from the premises is:

Lead is toxic, but do you know why? Lead is toxic mainly because it preferentially replaces other metals in biochemical reactions. In so doing it interferes with the proteins that regulate blood pressure (which can cause development delays in children and high blood pressure in adults), heme production (which can lead to anemia), and sperm production. Lead also displaces calcium in the reactions that transmit electrical impulses in the brain, which diminishes the ability to think and recall information. Anne Marie Helmenstine, "Your Guide to Chemistry"

Attempts to use solar energy on a large scale could have profound results. For example, it could change the albedo of the earth. This is the percentage of sunlight that is reflected back into space. Such an occurrence could cause a substantial change in the temperature of the earth, just as any other energy conversion does, making the planet too hot for life. Robert S. Boikess and Edward Edelson, Chemical Principles

PART A All corporate mergers are either success stories or fiascos. Hence, some corporate mergers are fiascos. Which of the following correctly expresses the form of this argument? A) All C are S. B) All CM are either S or F. Some C are F. Some C are F. C) Some C are F. D) All C are either S or F. All C are either S or F. Some C are F. E) If C then either S or F. If C then F. PART B Which of the following substitutions proves the argument invalid?

Which of the following is a sufficient condition for being a dog?

Figure A is a right triangle, and two of its sides have a length of 1 foot. Therefore, its third side is greater than 1 foot in length.

Which of the following is a necessary condition for becoming intoxicated?

A rainbow sometimes occurs after a storm because the droplets of water in the air refract and reflect rays of light from the sun. The angle of refraction is different for different wavelengths of light, and this accounts for the separation of colors in the rainbow.

The 2004 Olympic games were held in either Athens or Salt Lake City. But they were not held in Athens. Therefore, they were held in Salt Lake City.