Deck 8: Valid Inferences

Question 1

Which of the following is implied by these premises: "Everyone who has ever had a job in a car wash or restaurant has earned tips. Jason has never had a job where he earned tips."
(a) Jason would like to have a job where he earned tips.
(b) Jason has a job where he earns quarterly bonuses, but he just doesn't realize that a bonus is a tip.
(c) Taxi drivers have a job where they earn tips.
(d) Jason has never worked in a restaurant or a car wash.
(e) Jason has never been a taxi driver.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Using "A" and "B" describe the reasoning pattern of the valid argument template called Denying the Consequent.

Answer 2

Premise #1: If A, then B.
Premise #2: Not B,
Conclusion: Therefore, not A

Question 3

Consider this argument: "If Richard graduated with honors, then Richard maintained a GPA of 3.2 or higher. It is not the case that Richard maintained a GPA of 3.2 or higher. Therefore, Richard did not graduate with honors." That argument is an example of __________.
(a) the fallacy of denying the antecedent
(b) the fallacy of affirming the consequent
(c) a valid argument by affirming the antecedent
(d) a valid argument by denying the consequent

Answer 3

D

Question 4

If we can come up with a counterexample, namely a scenario in which all the premises are true but the conclusion is false, then the argument is ___________.
(a) valid
(b) true
(c) not valid
(d) not true

Question 5

Consider this argument: "Racists typically like to hang out with racists. Birds of a feather, if you know what I mean. And yesterday I saw John hanging out with those racist White National Pride jerks. So you know what that makes John, don't you. Right. A racist." That argument is an example of __________.
(a) the fallacy of false classification
(b) the fallacy of division
(c) the fallacy of false reference
(d) a valid argument

Question 6

Using "A" and "B" describe the reasoning pattern of the valid argument template called Affirming the Antecedent.

Question 7

Consider this passage: "'Either we'll finish the yard work in time to go to the movie, or we'll enjoy a quiet evening at home,' said John. 'I don't see us finishing in time for the movie,' said Malaya. 'It's a quiet evening at home then,' said John." We can reasonably characterize this passage as __________.
(a) a valid inference with the conclusion that the couple will be spending a quiet evening at home
(b) a conversation that does not include any inferences at all
(c) a fallacy of false dilemma
(d) a fallacy of division
(e) an invalid argument created by two individuals

Question 8

One important distinguishing feature of valid arguments is that __________.
(a) if the premises are true then the conclusion must be false
(b) if the conclusion is false, then one or more of the premises must also have been false
(c) they are shorter than invalid arguments
(d) they reveal new and important information about natural phenomena

Question 9

Consider this argument: "When Caitlin was six years old she told her Mom that in school she wanted to learn how come babies grew up to look like their parents. The science that deals with that is genetics. Therefore, when she was a little girl Caitlin had already announced that she planned to major in genetics." That argument is an example of __________.
(a) the fallacy of false classification
(b) the fallacy of division
(c) the fallacy of false reference
(d) a valid argument

Question 10

Consider this argument: "If Pepsi tasted better than Coke, then it would outsell Coke. But Pepsi does not taste better than Coke. So it will not outsell Coke." That argument is an example of __________.
(a) the fallacy of denying the antecedent
(b) the fallacy of affirming the consequent
(c) a valid argument by affirming the antecedent
(d) a valid argument by denying the consequent

Question 11

Using "A" and "B" describe the reasoning pattern of the valid argument template called Disjunctive Syllogism.

Question 12

Which of the following is the mark of an educated mind? For the same reason as was suggested by Aristotle, namely being educated is not the same as being able __________.
(a) to remember vast amounts of information
(b) to deceive others with clever rhetoric
(c) to force others to comply with one's orders
(d) to entertain a thought without accepting it

Question 13

If we can come up with a scenario in which all the premises are true but the conclusion is false, then we know that __________.
(a) the premises are in fact false
(b) the conclusion is in fact false
(c) the premises do not imply the conclusion
(d) the conclusion does not imply its premises

Question 14

What is the best evaluation of this argument? "A university was saved from financial and academic disaster by its provost, who later went on to become a consultant. James Hoopster became a consultant after having served as a provost. So James Hoopster saved his university from financial and academic disaster."
(a) It is a valid inference.
(b) It is invalid because we do not know what a provost is.
(c) It is invalid because we do now know when Hoopster was a provost.
(d) It is invalid because we cannot be sure if we are referring to the same provost.
(e) It is invalid because the dean saved the university from financial and academic disaster.

Question 15

Consider this argument: "If we drive on the Pacific Coast Highway near San Francisco we can see islands off the Pacific Coast. Look! We can see islands off the Pacific Coast. So we are driving on the Pacific Coast Highway near San Francisco." That argument is an example of __________.
(a) the fallacy of denying the antecedent
(b) the fallacy of affirming the consequent
(c) a valid argument by affirming the antecedent
(d) a valid argument by denying the consequent

Question 16

Consider the reasoning expressed by the speaker in this passage: "We were having a severe midwinter cold spell. The city was running out of heating oil for private home use. So the city ordered everyone to set their home thermostats down to 65 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 62 at night. But I set my thermostat at 67 during the day and 64 at night. I reasoned this way. It is in my best interest to cheat just a little by keeping our house a bit warmer. In fact, it is in the best interest of each person who lives in the city to do the same thing. So it follows that it is in the city's best interest if everyone were to cheat just a little." We can reasonably evaluate the speaker's inference as __________.
(a) valid because of affirming the antecedent
(b) valid because of disjunctive syllogism
(c) a fallacy of false classification
(d) a fallacy of false reference
(e) a fallacy of composition

Question 17

Consider this argument: "If the price quote from College Insignias is lower than the price quote from University Logos, then we will get the T-shirts for our ACS Relay for Life team printed at College Insignias. The price quote from College Insignias is lower than the price quote from University Logos. Therefore, we will get the T-shirts for our ACS Relay for Life team printed at College Insignias." That argument is an example of __________.
(a) the fallacy of denying the antecedent
(b) the fallacy of affirming the consequent
(c) a valid argument by affirming the antecedent
(d) a valid argument by denying the consequent

Question 18

The grammatical structure "A unless B" is a logically equivalent to __________
(a) "A only if B."
(b) "not A unless B."
(c) "If A then B."
(d) "A or B."

Question 19

"Copernicus demonstrated that the earth was not the center of the solar system. We now know that our solar system is not the center of our galaxy, and that our galaxy is not the center of the universe. So let me suggest that in all probability none of us should take ourselves so seriously that we think we are the center of everything." The previous passage is best described as __________.
(a) a way of reminding people not to take themselves too seriously
(b) a valid inference
(c) a fallacious argument masquerading as valid
(d) a blatant misinterpretation of Copernicus

Question 20

If we find an argument such that it is not possible for all of its premises to be true and its conclusion to be false, we call that argument __________.
(a) sound
(b) fallacious
(c) valid
(d) warranted

Question 21

Using "F" and "G" to stand for classes of objects, describe the reasoning pattern of the valid argument template called Applying an Exception.

Question 22

The expression "If A, then not B" is grammatically equivalent to the expression _______________

Question 23

What is the condition which brings about the reasoning mistake known as a Fallacy of False Reference?

Question 24

If the argument's premises imply or entail that the conclusion must be true if all of those premises are assumed to be true, then the argument is called ________.

Question 25

One way to evaluate an argument's logical strength is to use creative imagination. If we can come up with a counterexample, namely, a scenario in which all the premises are true but the conclusion is false, then the argument is not a valid argument.

Question 26

Using "x" and "y" express the valid inference pattern in the reflexivity relationship.

Question 27

What is the reasoning mistake made known as Fallacy of Division?

Question 28

If the conclusion of a valid argument is false, then we know for certain that one or more of its premises is or are _________________.

Question 29

Using "x," "y," and "z" express the valid inference pattern in the transitivity relationship.

Question 30

What is meant by the warning, "our power to reason with certainty can have ominous results"?

Question 31

Using "F" and "G" to stand for classes of objects, describe the reasoning pattern of the valid argument template called Applying a Generalization.

Question 32

What is the reasoning mistake made known as Fallacy of False Composition?

Question 33

From the premises "X is a member of group F" and "all members of F are members of G," and "if anything is a G, then it is an H," we can draw the valid inference that _________________.

Question 34

Human beings are capable of inferring with certainty the implications of rules, laws, beliefs, principles, and regulations.

Question 35

The expression "A, only if B" is grammatically equivalent to the expression ________________

Question 36

Using "A" and "B" describe the fallacy of Denying the Antecedent.

Question 37

If the assumption that the premises of an argument are all true makes it impossible for the conclusion to be false, we can call the argument ____________.

Question 38

Using "F" and "G" to stand for classes of objects, describe the reasoning pattern of the valid argument template called Applying a Generalization.

Question 39

Using "x," "y," and "z" express the valid inference pattern in the identity relationship?

Question 40

Using "A" and "B" describe the fallacy of Affirming the Consequent.