Deck 3: Basic Logical Concepts

Question 1

Which of the following is not a logically reliable pattern of deductive reasoning?

A) modus ponens
B) modus tollens
C) a chain argument
D) affirming the consequent

Answer 1

affirming the consequent

Question 2

A valid argument may have _____.

A) false premises and a false conclusion
B) true premises and a true conclusion
C) All of the answers are correct
D) false premises and a true conclusion

Answer 2

All of the answers are correct

Question 3

Modus tollens is a logically reliable pattern of deductive reasoning.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

"In 1930, Harry lived in Illinois. In 1970, Harry lived in Illinois. In 2010, Harry lived in Illinois. Therefore, in 2040, Harry will live in Nevada." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) weak inductive argument
B) valid deductive argument
C) invalid deductive argument
D) strong inductive argument

Question 5

Arguments that try to prove their conclusions with rigorous, inescapable logic are _____ arguments.

A) inductive
B) logically reliable
C) deductive
D) abductive

Question 6

Denying the antecedent is a valid mode of reasoning.

Question 7

"Ninety percent of students at the Central Tech University wear sandals to class, even in the winter. Ted is a student at the Central Tech University. So, Ted likely wears sandals to class, even in the winter." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) valid deductive argument
B) invalid deductive argument
C) strong inductive argument
D) weak inductive argument

Question 8

The following example is a hypothetical syllogism: "No dogs are reptiles. Some dogs are German Shepherds. So, no German Shepherds are reptiles."

Question 9

"No one is a voter who isn't a citizen. Therefore, because Joe is a citizen, he must be a voter." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) strong inductive argument
B) weak inductive argument
C) valid deductive argument
D) invalid deductive argument

Question 10

Which of the following is a common deduction indicator word?

A) probably
B) likely
C) plausibly
D) certainly

Question 11

All arguments that contain predictions are inductive arguments.

Question 12

Some inductive arguments are stronger than others.

Question 13

If an argument contains the words "it is a good bet that," then the argument is most likely _____.

A) inductive
B) deductive
C) None of the answers are correct
D) invalid

Question 14

In an "argument from definition," the conclusion is presented as being true by definition.

Question 15

Which of the following arguments rests on evidence that some percentage of some group has some particular characteristic?

A) a causal argument
B) a hypothetical syllogism
C) a statistical argument
D) a predictive argument

Question 16

Arguments that are inductively strong and have all true premises are said to be _____.

A) inductively successful
B) sound
C) cogent
D) reliable

Question 17

"Either Sally is dating Sturdley or Sally is dating Vernon. But Sally isn't dating Sturdley, because Sally won't date anyone with a tattoo, and Sturdley has a large tattoo of a rat on his right forearm. So, Sally is dating Vernon." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) invalid deductive argument
B) valid deductive argument
C) None of the answers are correct
D) strong inductive argument

Question 18

A chain argument is a type of hypothetical syllogism.

Question 19

"The last three students who had perfect scores on Professor Blanchard's calculus final were all lacrosse players. Therefore, the next student who makes a perfect score on Professor Blanchard's calculus final will be a chess player." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) invalid deductive argument
B) strong inductive argument
C) weak inductive argument
D) valid deductive argument

Question 20

"Ollie fell sick only minutes after he ate a mushroom in the woods. It is a good bet that the mushroom caused him to be sick." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) invalid deductive argument
B) weak inductive argument
C) valid deductive argument
D) strong inductive argument

Question 21

"If Toronto is a city in Mexico, then Toronto is south of the border. Toronto is a city in Mexico. So, Toronto is south of the border." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) None of the answers are correct
B) valid deductive argument
C) strong inductive argument
D) invalid deductive argument

Question 22

All strong arguments have _____.

A) a probably true conclusion
B) true premises and a probably true conclusion
C) None of the answers are correct
D) true premises

Question 23

A strong argument necessarily has _____.

A) probably true premises
B) probably true premises and a probably true conclusion
C) None of the answers are correct
D) a probably true conclusion

Question 24

A syllogism is an argument that consists of exactly two premises and a conclusion.

Question 25

A(n) _____ is a three-line argument that consists of two premises and a conclusion.

A) trilogy
B) enthymeme
C) syllogism
D) categorical argument

Question 26

An inductive generalization is an argument in which a generalization is claimed to be probably true based on information about some members of a particular class.

Question 27

Which of the following is true of modus ponens?

A) It is a logically reliable pattern of deductive reasoning.
B) It has a probably false conclusion.
C) It refers to a Latin expression that means "negative mode."
D) It is a very common pattern of inductive reasoning.

Question 28

The _____ says that when interpreting an unclear argument or passage, we should always give the speaker or writer the benefit of the doubt.

A) benefit of doubt principle
B) interpretive principle
C) fairness principle
D) principle of charity

Question 29

If an arguer precedes his or her conclusion with the phrase "it must be the case that," then the argument is definitely deductive.

Question 30

An "argument from authority" asserts a claim and then supports that claim by citing some presumed authority or witness who has said that the claim is true.

Question 31

The argument "If Denise plays first base, then Laura plays shortstop; if Laura plays shortstop, then Tess plays catcher; so, if Denise plays first base, then Tess plays catcher" is a(n) _____.

A) argument from definition
B) argument by elimination
C) hypothetical syllogism
D) categorical syllogism

Question 32

The argument "No Buddhists are Christians; some San Pedrans are Christians; so, some San Pedrans are not Buddhists." is _____.

A) a categorical syllogism
B) None of the answers are correct
C) an inductive generalization
D) an argument by definition

Question 33

A deductive argument whose premises are all true but the conclusion is false is most likely _____.

A) uncogent
B) weak
C) unsubstantiated
D) invalid

Question 34

Some strong arguments have false premises and a probably false conclusion.

Question 35

According to the principle of charity test, we should never attribute to an arguer a weaker argument when the evidence reasonably permits us to attribute to the arguer a stronger one.

Question 36

_____ have the following pattern: If A then B; not B; therefore, not A.

A) Modus tollens arguments
B) Chain arguments
C) Modus ponens arguments
D) "Denying the antecedent" arguments

Question 37

"If Wendy gets an 'A' in her Anatomy class, then her boyfriend will take her out to celebrate. Her boyfriend takes her out to celebrate. Therefore, it is logical to conclude that Wendy got an 'A' in her Anatomy class." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) weak inductive argument
B) valid deductive argument
C) strong inductive argument
D) invalid deductive argument

Question 38

Mom promised that if she makes at least $5,000 in royalties on her latest book, she will take us all to Disney World this Christmas. Well, look at these three royalty checks Mom just received for the book. One is for $829. One is for $2273. And one is for $3188. Looks like we are probably going to Disney World! This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) strong inductive argument
B) weak inductive argument
C) valid deductive argument
D) invalid deductive argument

Question 39

A weak inductive argument necessarily has _____.

A) one or more false premises
B) neither A nor B
C) one or more false premises and a false conclusion
D) a false conclusion

Question 40

Some causal arguments are deductive.

Question 41

No inductive argument provides logically conclusive support for its conclusion.

Question 42

According to the strict necessity test, if an argument's conclusion follows with strict logical necessity from its premises, then the argument should always be treated as deductive.

Question 43

The argument "Kyle is a father; it follows that Kyle has a child" is an example of _____.

A) a hypothetical syllogism
B) a chain argument
C) a modus tollens argument
D) an argument from definition

Question 44

An argument in which the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises is a(n) _____.

A) deductive argument
B) inductive argument
C) implicative argument
D) valid argument

Question 45

Some arguments are neither deductive nor inductive.

Question 46

All cogent arguments _____.

A) None of the answers are correct
B) have a probably true conclusion
C) have a true conclusion
D) are deductive

Question 47

A cogent argument may have a probably false conclusion.

Question 48

The argument "Shadowfax is a stallion; it follows that Shadowfax is a male" is a(n) _____.

A) argument by elimination
B) inductive generalization
C) hypothetical syllogism
D) argument from definition

Question 49

The argument "Aldo says he saw a whooping crane in a Wisconsin marsh; Aldo is a highly reliable witness; so, Aldo probably did see a whooping crane in a Wisconsin marsh." is _____.

A) a causal argument
B) an argument from authority
C) None of the answers are correct
D) an inductive generalization

Question 50

"Some people like sardines. Some people like pistachio ice cream. It stands to reason, therefore, that some people must like sardines on their pistachio ice cream." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) valid deductive argument
B) invalid deductive argument
C) weak inductive argument
D) strong inductive argument

Question 51

Unlike deductive arguments, inductive arguments claim that _____.

A) if the premises are true, then the conclusion is probably true
B) the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises
C) it is logically inconsistent to assert the premises and deny the conclusion
D) if the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true

Question 52

An unsound argument is defined as a deductive argument that either is invalid or has at least one false premise, or both.

Question 53

An argument in which the conclusion is claimed to follow probably from the premises is known as a(n) _____ argument.

A) deductive
B) None of the answers are correct
C) implicative
D) inductive

Question 54

"Buford can lift, at most, 150 pounds over his head. A hog weighs at least 300 pounds. Therefore, Buford will never be able to lift a hog over his head." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) strong inductive argument
B) valid deductive argument
C) weak inductive argument
D) invalid deductive argument

Question 55

An analogy is a comparison of two or more things that are claimed to be alike in some relevant respect.

Question 56

No cogent argument has any false premises.

Question 57

In a(n) _____, the conclusion is claimed to depend on a comparison or similarity between two or more things.

A) argument from definition
B) argument from analogy
C) categorical syllogism
D) hypothetical syllogism

Question 58

All valid arguments have true premises.

Question 59

"Barbara is a 50-year-old accountant, wears conservative clothes, and plays bingo every Tuesday night at the church social. It is not the case, therefore, that Barbara likes heavy metal music." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) weak inductive argument
B) invalid deductive argument
C) valid deductive argument
D) strong inductive argument

Question 60

The argument "Apples purchased in grocery stores are red and juicy and rarely contain worms; this wild apple is also red and juicy; so, it probably doesn't contain any worms either." is _____.

A) a causal argument
B) None of the answers are correct
C) an inductive generalization
D) an argument from analogy

Question 61

Which of the following is true of a syllogism?

A) A syllogism is essentially deductive.
B) Any argument that consists of two premises and one conclusion counts as a syllogism.
C) A syllogism is a four-line argument.
D) Any argument that consists of exactly one premise and one conclusion counts as a syllogism.

Question 62

If the conclusion of an argument follows with strict logical necessity from its premises, then the argument should be treated as _____.

A) inductive and deductive
B) inductive
C) deductive
D) None of the answers are correct

Question 63

Denying the antecedent arguments have the following pattern:

A) None of the answers are correct.
B) If A then B; not A; therefore, not B.
C) If A the B; not B; therefore, not A.
D) If A then B; if B then C; therefore, if A then C.

Question 64

Inductive generalizations always proceed from particular premises to a general conclusion.

Question 65

"On Monday, Regina went to Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch. On Wednesday, she went to Burger King for lunch. On Thursday, she went to the Hungry Heifer Steakhouse for lunch. So, Regina is probably not a vegetarian." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) strong inductive argument
B) invalid deductive argument
C) valid deductive argument
D) weak inductive argument

Question 66

Arguments based on mathematics are always inductive.

Question 67

A mathematical proof in geometry is an example of inductive reasoning.

Question 68

The argument "Either I can fix you the same old potatoes or I can fix you some delicious fried okra; I know you don't want to have the same old potatoes; so, I'll fix you some delicious fried okra" is an example of _____.

A) a hypothetical syllogism
B) an argument by elimination
C) a categorical syllogism
D) a chain argument

Question 69

If an inductive argument has a false premise, then the argument is _____.

A) All of the answers are correct
B) uncogent
C) unsound
D) weak

Question 70

"On Monday, Irene wore a New York Mets jacket to class. On Wednesday, Irene wore a New York Mets hat to class. On Friday, Irene wore a New York Mets sweatshirt to class. So, it is likely that Irene is a New York Mets fan." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) weak inductive argument
B) strong inductive argument
C) invalid deductive argument
D) valid deductive argument

Question 71

"All Republicans are pro-choice; Barack Obama is a Republican. So, Barack Obama is pro-choice." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) None of the answers are correct
B) strong inductive argument
C) invalid deductive argument
D) valid deductive argument

Question 72

A(n) _____ is a three-line deductive argument in which each line in the argument begins with "all," "some," or "no."

A) hypothetical syllogism
B) categorical syllogism
C) argument from definition
D) argument based on mathematics

Question 73

"If 90 percent of Wexford County residents are Democrats, then their state representative must be a Democrat. Ninety percent of Wexford County residents are Democrats. So, their state representative must be a Democrat." This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) valid deductive argument
B) invalid deductive argument
C) strong inductive argument
D) weak inductive argument

Question 74

All welfare recipients are poor. Ahmed is poor. Therefore, Ahmed is a welfare recipient. This illustrates a(n) _____.

A) valid deductive argument
B) strong inductive argument
C) weak inductive argument
D) invalid deductive argument

Question 75

The argument "No rappers are opera singers; no opera singers are professional wrestlers; so, no rappers are professional wrestlers" is an example of _____.

A) an argument from definition
B) a categorical syllogism
C) a hypothetical syllogism
D) a chain argument

Question 76

Arguments in which the conclusion is claimed to follow only probably from the premises are _____.

A) plausibility arguments
B) deductive
C) abductive
D) inductive

Question 77

The following argument is inductively strong: "All previous U.S. presidents have worn a beard. So, the next U.S. president will probably wear a beard."

Question 78

Denying the antecedent is a type of hypothetical syllogism.

Question 79

The argument "If I want to improve my thinking skills, I better study critical thinking; I do want to improve my thinking skills; therefore, I better study critical thinking" is an example of _____.

A) a chain argument
B) a categorical syllogism
C) an argument by elimination
D) a hypothetical syllogism

Question 80

Inductive arguments always proceed from particular premises to a general conclusion.