Exam 10: Deduction and Induction: A Closer Look

In an inference to the best explanation or "IBE," generally the more comprehensively one has examined and compared the plausible hypotheses available, the stronger the argument.

The Lyceum was located in:

Is the argument deductive (D) or inductive (I)? -The car stopped in the middle of the freeway. The gas gauge is on empty. The best explanation is that the car is out of gas. Therefore, the car is probably out of gas.

Think with Socrates does not contain a section on enthymemes. However, the concept can be defined briefly. This exercise defines an enthymeme and gives students a chance to practice filling in holes in incomplete deductive arguments. An enthymeme is an argument that is missing one or more premises or a conclusion. Each of the following deductive arguments is missing either a premise or a conclusion. (Thus, each is an enthymeme.) Add a statement to each so as to turn the enthymeme into a valid argument. -If it rains, then the roof gets wet. Therefore, it is not raining.

Who was Aristotle? What did he do that makes him historically significant?

On deductive arguments. -The conclusion of every sound deductive argument is true.

The following is one of the two ways to effectively criticize an argument:

If an argument has a conclusion that is probably false, then the argument is weak.

Logic is defined in the text as the study of the standards of correct or good reasoning.

No inductive argument aims to prove its conclusion with certainty.

The only combination that you will never find in a strong argument is:

If an argument has a conclusion that is probably false, then the argument cannot be cogent.

Think with Socrates does not contain a section on enthymemes. However, the concept can be defined briefly. This exercise defines an enthymeme and gives students a chance to practice filling in holes in incomplete deductive arguments. An enthymeme is an argument that is missing one or more premises or a conclusion. Each of the following deductive arguments is missing either a premise or a conclusion. (Thus, each is an enthymeme.) Add a statement to each so as to turn the enthymeme into a valid argument. -Either we skip lunch, or we skip dinner. We'll skip dinner.

Think with Socrates does not contain a section on enthymemes. However, the concept can be defined briefly. This exercise defines an enthymeme and gives students a chance to practice filling in holes in incomplete deductive arguments. An enthymeme is an argument that is missing one or more premises or a conclusion. Each of the following deductive arguments is missing either a premise or a conclusion. (Thus, each is an enthymeme.) Add a statement to each so as to turn the enthymeme into a valid argument. -Either a bad boy moved into town, or Junior must behave himself. So Junior must behave himself.

More enthymemes. In each case, fill in the missing element (i.e., add a premise or conclusion) so as to turn the enthymeme into a valid deductive argument. -We will either eat hotdogs or hamburgers. So we will eat hamburgers.

More enthymemes. In each case, fill in the missing element (i.e., add a premise or conclusion) so as to turn the enthymeme into a valid deductive argument. -Either we will eat tacos, or we will eat burritos. We won't eat burritos. So ...

The combination you will not find in an invalid argument is:

Think with Socrates does not contain a section on enthymemes. However, the concept can be defined briefly. This exercise defines an enthymeme and gives students a chance to practice filling in holes in incomplete deductive arguments. An enthymeme is an argument that is missing one or more premises or a conclusion. Each of the following deductive arguments is missing either a premise or a conclusion. (Thus, each is an enthymeme.) Add a statement to each so as to turn the enthymeme into a valid argument. -No werewolves are pets ... So some pets are not very friendly.

The following is an invalid argument: Jim is between fifty and sixty years old. Jan is older than Jim. So Jan is older than sixty.

Is the argument deductive (D) or inductive (I)? -We tested the proposed hypothesis ten times, and it failed every test. Therefore, we conclude that the hypothesis is probably false.