Exam 1: Basic Concepts

Earth's distance from the sun has little to do with the seasons. The seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth on its axis as it revolves around the sun. This tilt causes some parts of the Earth to get slanting rays of sunlight some of the year and vertical rays of sunlight at other times. When a hemisphere of the Earth is tilted toward the sun, it is summer in that hemisphere. Gary S. Moore, Living with the Earth, 3^rd ed.

No supporters of abortion rights are fundamentalist Christians. Therefore, no fundamentalist Christians are supporters of abortion rights.

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

Viruses are acellular entities too small to be seen with a light microscope. They are composed of a nucleic acid and a few proteins. Viruses replicate themselves and display other properties of living organisms only when they have invaded living cells. Indeed, some viruses can be crystallized and stored in a container on a shelf for years, but they retain the capacity to invade cells and cause disease. Jacquelyn C. Black, Microbiology: Principles and Explorations

For a long time, Haydn's music was regarded as genial and lively, and much of its depth, wit, and brilliance went unnoticed. This was because only a few of his compositions were performed regularly at concerts. Nowadays, however, much more of Haydn's music is being performed, and the extraordinary range of his achievement is being recognized. Jeffrey Yudkin, Understanding Music, 4^th edition

In a random sample of 50 students, only 15 said that they regularly read a newspaper. Therefore, probably less than 50% of the student body regularly reads a newspaper.

Which of the following are all nonarguments?

Pencil lead is composed of pure carbon, and pencil lead is very cheap. Diamonds, like pencil lead, are composed of pure carbon. Therefore, probably diamonds are very cheap.

DNA tests of blood found at the crime scene indicate a match with the defendant's blood. Therefore, the defendant must have been present at the crime scene.

Health can be conceptualized from medical, functional, or psychological perspectives. The medical model defines health as an absence of illness or disease, while the functional model defines health in terms of individuals' ability to perform their assigned roles. The psychological model of health emphasizes physical, psychological, and social well-being in measuring the health of individuals. Michael P. Soroka and George J. Bryjak, Social Problems: A World at Risk

The rate at which a light bulb uses energy (converts electrical energy to light and heat) is usually printed on it-for example, "100 watts." A watt is a unit of power, which describes the rate of energy use. A power of 1 watt means that 1 joule of energy is being used each second. Hence, for every second that you leave a 100-watt light bulb turned on, you will have to pay the utility company for 100 joules of energy. Jeffrey Bennett, et al., The Cosmic Perspective, 3^rd edition

Capitalism tends to stratify society. Those who are successful are respected and rewarded. Those who are not are abandoned as failures. The net result is that society becomes hierarchical. This is an elitist circumstance thought desirable by people on the right. Leon P. Baradat, Political Ideologies

Which of the following sentences is a statement?

Water is abundant over most of the earth's surface, and within the temperature range usually encountered there, it is liquid. Water also is a powerful solvent. Consequently, water is an excellent medium for the chemical processes of living systems. It is hard to imagine life having any other basis than water. Robert E. Ricklefs, The Economy of Nature, 5^th ed.

The world's oceans are salty because the water has dissolved salt from rocks. Streams and rivers flowing over rocks for eons have carried the salt to the sea. Also, water on the ocean floor flows into thermal vents, where it becomes heated and dissolves salt from the oceanic crust. Finally, water in the vicinity of submarine volcanoes dissolves salt from the molten lava. April Holladay, "Seas Are Salty But Don't Get Any Saltier"

After hearing Jordan's speech in the student council, Michael rolled his eyes and shook his head. Apparently Michael didn't agree with what Jordan said.

An argument whose conclusion rests on some geometrical procedure is:

PART A Some playoff games are heartbreakers, since all playoff games are either heartbreakers or occasions for glee. Which of the following correctly expresses the form of this argument? PART B Which of the following substitutions proves the argument invalid? A) P = fish, H = animals, O = mammals. B) P = dogs, H = cats, O = fish. C) P = dogs, H = fish, O = animals. D) P = male, G = dogs, H = animals, O = fish. E) P = women, H = humans, O = doctors.

Which of the following are all deductive arguments?

The annual snowfall in Buffalo, New York, has been over 40 inches every year for the past 20 years. Therefore, probably the snowfall in Buffalo will be over 40 inches next year.