Exam 1: Basic Concepts

If an argument form is invalid, then so is every substitution instance of that argument form.

Every argument with a valid form is valid.

"Will Jean will the election?" This is

"Assuming that Peter gets a B on the test, he'll pass the class." This is

Use a counterexample to show that the following argument is invalid. (Remember, it is usually best to use terms-or statements-whose interrelations are well known.) "All people who bite their fingernails in public are neurotic overachievers. Since all neurotic overachievers are philosophers, all philosophers are people who bite their fingernails in public."

Which of the following is a statement?

Which of the following is an example of a conditional statement?

"You don't have any brothers or sisters, do you?" This is

Some arguments intend demonstrating their conclusions to be probably

Inductive logic is concerned with methods of evaluating arguments for

A sound argument is one that is valid and

Logic is the study of

The fallacy of denying the antecedent has the following form:

"Pigs can fly." This is

An argument is any set of statements.

When understood in the inclusive sense, "Either A or B" means "Either A or B (but not both)."

Use a counterexample to show that the following argument is invalid. (Remember, it is usually best to use terms-or statements-whose interrelations are well known.) "Some psychological disorders are environmentally produced diseases, since no environmentally produced diseases are inherited afflictions and some psychological disorders are not inherited afflictions."

If the following argument is an instance of one of the "famous" argument forms, name the form and indicate whether the form is valid or invalid; if the argument is NOT an instance of one of the "famous" forms, simply write "unnamed form." If Sam makes it through Shelob's lair, then Frodo will be saved. If Frodo is saved, then Gollum will lose his precious ring. So, if Sam makes it through Shelob's lair, then Gollum will lose his precious ring.

The argument form "If A then B; Not B; So, not A" is called

Identify the following as valid, invalid, strong, or weak: "We can take a vacation in the Bahamas only if we save enough money. We've saved enough money, so now we can take a vacation in the Bahamas!"