Question 1

If the disjunctive premise of a disjunctive argument is "p or (not-p or q)," then:

Accepted Answer

A) the conclusion cannot be p 
B) the conclusion cannot be not-p 
C) the conclusion cannot be q 
D) the conclusion must be q 
E) the conclusion must be not-p 
A) the conclusion cannot be p 
B) the conclusion cannot be not-p 
C) the conclusion cannot be q 
D) the conclusion must be q 
E) the conclusion must be not-p

Question 2

Which disjunctive proposition is equivalent to this hypothetical proposition? If p, then q.

Accepted Answer

A) p or q 
B) p or not q 
C) not p or not q 
D) not p or q 
E) (p or not q) and (not p or q) 
A) p or q 
B) p or not q 
C) not p or not q 
D) not p or q 
E) (p or not q) and (not p or q)

Question 3

Not (p and q) means that p and q cannot both be true.This is equivalent to:

Accepted Answer

A) p or q 
B) not-p or not-q 
C) p or not-q 
D) not-p or q 
E) p 
A) p or q 
B) not-p or not-q 
C) p or not-q 
D) not-p or q 
E) p

Question 4

Suppose that the first premise of a disjunctive syllogism is "p or q." What must the second premise be?

Accepted Answer

A) p 
B) q 
C) not-p 
D) it could be not-p, or it could be not-q 
E) not-q 
A) p 
B) q 
C) not-p 
D) it could be not-p, or it could be not-q 
E) not-q

Question 5

Which of the following is a compound proposition?

Accepted Answer

A) Whales are mammals. 
B) Whales are very large fish. 
C) No whale is a reptile. 
D) Some whales are reptiles. 
E) Whales are mammals or whales are very large fish. 
A) Whales are mammals. 
B) Whales are very large fish. 
C) No whale is a reptile. 
D) Some whales are reptiles. 
E) Whales are mammals or whales are very large fish.

Question 6

Can an argument have more than one disjunctive premise?

Accepted Answer

A) Yes, because sometimes more than one disjunctive proposition is required to express a large number of possibilities. 
B) Yes, there is no limit to the number of disjunctive premises. 
C) Yes, because there must be one disjunctive premise for every categorical premise. 
D) No, because that would require the argument to have two different conclusions. 
E) No, because only one disjunct can be true, so every disjunctive premise after the first would consist entirely of false disjuncts. 
A) Yes, because sometimes more than one disjunctive proposition is required to express a large number of possibilities. 
B) Yes, there is no limit to the number of disjunctive premises. 
C) Yes, because there must be one disjunctive premise for every categorical premise. 
D) No, because that would require the argument to have two different conclusions. 
E) No, because only one disjunct can be true, so every disjunctive premise after the first would consist entirely of false disjuncts.

Question 7

Is it possible to commit the fallacy of affirming the consequent in a pure hypothetical syllogism?

Accepted Answer

A) No, because the second premise does not assert its antecedent or its consequent. 
B) No, because the second premise only asserts its antecedent and not its consequent. 
C) Yes, but only if the consequent of the first premise is also the consequent of the second premise. 
D) Yes, because the second premise of a pure hypothetical syllogism always includes the consequent of the conclusion. 
E) Yes, because the second premise could simply be the consequent of the first premise. 
A) No, because the second premise does not assert its antecedent or its consequent. 
B) No, because the second premise only asserts its antecedent and not its consequent. 
C) Yes, but only if the consequent of the first premise is also the consequent of the second premise. 
D) Yes, because the second premise of a pure hypothetical syllogism always includes the consequent of the conclusion. 
E) Yes, because the second premise could simply be the consequent of the first premise.

Question 8

Is there more than one way to formalize the following argument? It rains whenever a mass of hot, humid air collides with a high-pressure mass of colder air.Since it has been hot and muggy, and a cold front is moving in from the west, I expect it will rain.

Accepted Answer

A) Yes, since it could easily be formalized either as a hypothetical syllogism or as a categorical syllogism. 
B) Yes, since there is never any reason to prefer formalizing any argument as categorical, disjunctive, or hypothetical. 
C) Yes, but the argument is only valid if it is formalized as categorical.In any other interpretation, it would be invalid. 
D) No, because the conclusion is true, and arguments with true conclusions can only be formalized in one way. 
E) No, because any given argument can only be properly formalized in exactly one way. 
A) Yes, since it could easily be formalized either as a hypothetical syllogism or as a categorical syllogism. 
B) Yes, since there is never any reason to prefer formalizing any argument as categorical, disjunctive, or hypothetical. 
C) Yes, but the argument is only valid if it is formalized as categorical.In any other interpretation, it would be invalid. 
D) No, because the conclusion is true, and arguments with true conclusions can only be formalized in one way. 
E) No, because any given argument can only be properly formalized in exactly one way.

Question 9

What is the consequent of the proposition "If it rains, then the graduation will be held in the gym"?

Accepted Answer

A) graduation 
B) gym 
C) the graduation will be held in the gym 
D) it rains 
E) if 
A) graduation 
B) gym 
C) the graduation will be held in the gym 
D) it rains 
E) if

Question 10

Must the antecedent and the consequent of a hypothetical proposition be affirmative?

Accepted Answer

A) Only the antecedent must be affirmative. 
B) Only the consequent must be affirmative. 
C) Both must be affirmative. 
D) It doesn't matter whether either of them is affirmative or negative. 
E) They can both be affirmative or both be negative, but it is not allowed for one to be affirmative while the other is negative. 
A) Only the antecedent must be affirmative. 
B) Only the consequent must be affirmative. 
C) Both must be affirmative. 
D) It doesn't matter whether either of them is affirmative or negative. 
E) They can both be affirmative or both be negative, but it is not allowed for one to be affirmative while the other is negative.

Question 11

For the next group of questions, consider the following argument:
(1) It's clear that nobody should be prejudged because of the following.(2) Either everyone is worthy of friendship or friendship is a horrible institution.(3) So everyone is worthy of friendship.(4) And no one worthy of friendship should be prejudged.
-Of how many syllogistic steps does the argument consist?

Accepted Answer

A) one 
B) two 
C) three 
D) four 
E) five 
A) one 
B) two 
C) three 
D) four 
E) five

Question 12

Suppose that the first premise of a disjunctive syllogism is the disjunctive premise.Could the second premise ever be affirmative, without committing the fallacy of affirming a disjunct?

Accepted Answer

A) No, because it is only permissible to deny one of the disjuncts, and an affirmative proposition cannot do that. 
B) No, because no affirmative proposition has a distributed predicate term. 
C) Yes, but only if every disjunct is negative. 
D) Yes, because one of the disjuncts could be affirmative. 
E) Yes, because one of the disjuncts could be negative. 
A) No, because it is only permissible to deny one of the disjuncts, and an affirmative proposition cannot do that. 
B) No, because no affirmative proposition has a distributed predicate term. 
C) Yes, but only if every disjunct is negative. 
D) Yes, because one of the disjuncts could be affirmative. 
E) Yes, because one of the disjuncts could be negative.

Question 13

For the next group of questions, consider the following argument:
Since (1) values are nothing more than our own evaluation of the facts, (2) they are not objective.(3) Knowledge of the facts is based on empirical evidence, and (4) anything based on such evidence is objective.But (5) evaluating facts is different from knowing them.
-Is the argument valid?

Accepted Answer

A) Yes, because all of its steps are valid. 
B) Yes, because most of its steps are valid. 
C) Yes, because its conclusion is true. 
D) No, because its conclusion is false. 
E) No, because one of its steps is invalid. 
A) Yes, because all of its steps are valid. 
B) Yes, because most of its steps are valid. 
C) Yes, because its conclusion is true. 
D) No, because its conclusion is false. 
E) No, because one of its steps is invalid.

Question 14

What would the following proposition be in standard form? I'll stay home tomorrow if I feel sick.

Accepted Answer

A) If I stay home tomorrow, then I will feel sick. 
B) If I do not stay home tomorrow, then I will feel sick. 
C) If I stay home tomorrow, then I will not feel sick. 
D) If I do not feel sick tomorrow, then I will stay home. 
E) If I feel sick, then I will stay home tomorrow. 
A) If I stay home tomorrow, then I will feel sick. 
B) If I do not stay home tomorrow, then I will feel sick. 
C) If I stay home tomorrow, then I will not feel sick. 
D) If I do not feel sick tomorrow, then I will stay home. 
E) If I feel sick, then I will stay home tomorrow.

Question 15

For the next group of questions, consider the following argument:
I need to buy a present for my niece’s birthday. And I think (1) it will have to be a set of LEGOs. (2) I was considering the LEGOs, a toy robot, and a goldfish. But I think that (3) she already has the robot and (4) she is too young to care for a goldfish.

-What is the conclusion of the argument?

Accepted Answer

A) I need to buy a present for my niece's birthday. 
B) The present will have to be a set of LEGOs. 
C) The present could be LEGOs, a toy robot, or a goldfish. 
D) My niece already has a toy robot. 
E) My niece is too young to care for a goldfish. 
A) I need to buy a present for my niece's birthday. 
B) The present will have to be a set of LEGOs. 
C) The present could be LEGOs, a toy robot, or a goldfish. 
D) My niece already has a toy robot. 
E) My niece is too young to care for a goldfish.

Question 16

For the next group of questions, consider the following argument:
Since (1) values are nothing more than our own evaluation of the facts, (2) they are not objective.(3) Knowledge of the facts is based on empirical evidence, and (4) anything based on such evidence is objective.But (5) evaluating facts is different from knowing them.
-If we analyzed the argument as a series of syllogisms, how many implicit propositions would be involved?

Accepted Answer

A) one 
B) two 
C) three 
D) four 
E) five 
A) one 
B) two 
C) three 
D) four 
E) five

Question 17

If an argument uses words like unless, if, or without, that suggests that the argument is:

Accepted Answer

A) categorical 
B) hypothetical 
C) disjunctive 
D) invalid, so there is no need to determine the form 
E) This information tells us nothing about the form. 
A) categorical 
B) hypothetical 
C) disjunctive 
D) invalid, so there is no need to determine the form 
E) This information tells us nothing about the form.

Question 18

What is the antecedent of the proposition "If it rains, then the graduation will be held in the gym"?

Accepted Answer

A) graduation 
B) gym 
C) the graduation will be held in the gym 
D) it rains 
E) if 
A) graduation 
B) gym 
C) the graduation will be held in the gym 
D) it rains 
E) if

Question 19

Suppose that p is the proposition "Some subatomic particles are not leptons." What is the proposition not-p?

Accepted Answer

A) Some leptons are not subatomic particles. 
B) Some subatomic particles are leptons. 
C) All subatomic particles are leptons. 
D) No subatomic particle is a lepton. 
E) No lepton is a subatomic particle. 
A) Some leptons are not subatomic particles. 
B) Some subatomic particles are leptons. 
C) All subatomic particles are leptons. 
D) No subatomic particle is a lepton. 
E) No lepton is a subatomic particle.

Question 20

Suppose that we open a randomly chosen book and examine its first and last sentences.We label the first sentence as p and use it as the premise of a syllogism.And we label the last sentence as q and use it as the conclusion of that same syllogism.Is it always possible to create a valid syllogism by adding "If p, then q" as a second premise?

Accepted Answer

A) Yes, but the hypothetical premise might strain credibility. 
B) Yes, but only because they come from the same book. 
C) No, because p and q might be completely unrelated. 
D) No, because the resulting syllogism would be invalid. 
E) No, because if that worked, you could use any proposition to argue for any other proposition. 
A) Yes, but the hypothetical premise might strain credibility. 
B) Yes, but only because they come from the same book. 
C) No, because p and q might be completely unrelated. 
D) No, because the resulting syllogism would be invalid. 
E) No, because if that worked, you could use any proposition to argue for any other proposition.

If the disjunctive premise of a disjunctive argument is "p or (not-p or q)," then:

Which disjunctive proposition is equivalent to this hypothetical proposition? If p, then q.

Not (p and q) means that p and q cannot both be true.This is equivalent to:

Suppose that the first premise of a disjunctive syllogism is "p or q." What must the second premise be?

Which of the following is a compound proposition?

Can an argument have more than one disjunctive premise?

Is it possible to commit the fallacy of affirming the consequent in a pure hypothetical syllogism?

Is there more than one way to formalize the following argument? It rains whenever a mass of hot, humid air collides with a high-pressure mass of colder air.Since it has been hot and muggy, and a cold front is moving in from the west, I expect it will rain.

What is the consequent of the proposition "If it rains, then the graduation will be held in the gym"?

Must the antecedent and the consequent of a hypothetical proposition be affirmative?

Suppose that the first premise of a disjunctive syllogism is the disjunctive premise.Could the second premise ever be affirmative, without committing the fallacy of affirming a disjunct?

What would the following proposition be in standard form? I'll stay home tomorrow if I feel sick.

If an argument uses words like unless, if, or without, that suggests that the argument is:

What is the antecedent of the proposition "If it rains, then the graduation will be held in the gym"?

Suppose that p is the proposition "Some subatomic particles are not leptons." What is the proposition not-p?

Classification

Definitions

Propositions

Argument Analysis

Fallacies

Categorical Propositions

Categorical Syllogisms

Propositional Logic-Propositions

Propositional Logic-Arguments

Predicate Logic

Inductive Generalizations

Argument by Analogy

Statistical Reasoning

Explanation

Probability

Filters

Exam 8: Reasoning With Syllogisms

If the disjunctive premise of a disjunctive argument is "p or (not-p or q)," then:

Which disjunctive proposition is equivalent to this hypothetical proposition? If p, then q.

Not (p and q) means that p and q cannot both be true.This is equivalent to:

Suppose that the first premise of a disjunctive syllogism is "p or q." What must the second premise be?

Which of the following is a compound proposition?

Can an argument have more than one disjunctive premise?

Is it possible to commit the fallacy of affirming the consequent in a pure hypothetical syllogism?

Is there more than one way to formalize the following argument? It rains whenever a mass of hot, humid air collides with a high-pressure mass of colder air.Since it has been hot and muggy, and a cold front is moving in from the west, I expect it will rain.

What is the consequent of the proposition "If it rains, then the graduation will be held in the gym"?

Must the antecedent and the consequent of a hypothetical proposition be affirmative?

Suppose that the first premise of a disjunctive syllogism is the disjunctive premise.Could the second premise ever be affirmative, without committing the fallacy of affirming a disjunct?

What would the following proposition be in standard form? I'll stay home tomorrow if I feel sick.

If an argument uses words like unless, if, or without, that suggests that the argument is:

What is the antecedent of the proposition "If it rains, then the graduation will be held in the gym"?

Suppose that p is the proposition "Some subatomic particles are not leptons." What is the proposition not-p?

Classification

Definitions

Propositions

Argument Analysis

Fallacies

Categorical Propositions

Categorical Syllogisms

Propositional Logic-Propositions

Propositional Logic-Arguments

Predicate Logic

Inductive Generalizations

Argument by Analogy

Statistical Reasoning

Explanation

Probability

Filters