"If dogs can fly, then the Earth is a sponge." Is this statement true?
Why or why not?
A)This is a contingent statement since it may be either true or false.
B)This is false but we must check the world to discover this.
C)This is false as neither the consequent nor the antecedent is true.
D)This is a true statement because it is in the form of a material conditional and has a false antecedent.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This statement is an example of a material conditional in logic, where if the antecedent ("If dogs can fly") is false, the entire conditional statement is considered true regardless of the truth value of the consequent ("then the Earth is a sponge"). This is a fundamental principle in classical logic, not requiring the actual truth of the consequent or its relation to reality, but rather focusing on the logical structure.

"If Dogs Can Fly, Then the Earth Is a Sponge