PHIL 347: CRITICAL THINKING — WEEK 4 CHECKPOINT 2026/2027 | 100%
VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS | NEWEST VERSION
1. What is an argument? An argument is a set of statements where one or
more premises are offered as support, evidence, or reasons for a conclusion.
2. What are the two main components of an argument? Premises (supporting
statements) and a conclusion (the statement being supported).
3. What is a premise? A premise is a statement in an argument that provides
evidence, support, or reason for accepting the conclusion.
4. What is a conclusion? A conclusion is the statement in an argument that the
premises are intended to support or prove.
5. What is a conclusion indicator word? Words or phrases that typically
signal a conclusion is following, such as "therefore," "thus," "hence," "so,"
"consequently," "it follows that," and "we can conclude that."
6. What is a premise indicator word? Words or phrases that typically signal a
premise is following, such as "because," "since," "for," "given that," "assuming
that," "the reason is that," and "as shown by."
7. Can an argument have multiple premises? Yes, most arguments have
multiple premises that work together to support the conclusion.
8. Can an argument have multiple conclusions? Yes, some arguments contain
multiple conclusions, either as separate arguments or where one conclusion
serves as a premise for another.
9. What is the difference between an argument and an explanation? An
argument tries to prove that something is true; an explanation assumes
something is true and tells us why or how it happened.
10. What is the difference between an argument and a description? A
description merely portrays how something is; an argument attempts to provide
reasons to believe something.
,11. What is a simple argument? An argument with one conclusion supported
directly by one or more premises, with no intermediate conclusions.
12. What is a complex argument? An argument with intermediate conclusions
that serve as premises for further conclusions, creating a chain of reasoning.
13. What is an unstated premise? A premise that is assumed but not explicitly
stated in the argument; also called a hidden or suppressed premise.
14. Why is identifying unstated premises important? Because unstated
premises may contain questionable assumptions that need to be examined for
the argument's validity.
15. What is a standard form argument? An argument rewritten with premises
listed first, each on a separate line, followed by the conclusion, making the
logical structure explicit.
16. What is a deductive argument? An argument where the premises are
intended to guarantee the truth of the conclusion; if the premises are true, the
conclusion must be true.
17. What is an inductive argument? An argument where the premises are
intended to make the conclusion probable or likely, but do not guarantee it.
18. What does "valid" mean for deductive arguments? A deductive
argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises to be true and
the conclusion false.
19. What does "sound" mean for deductive arguments? A deductive
argument is sound if and only if it is valid AND all its premises are actually
true.
20. What does "strong" mean for inductive arguments? An inductive
argument is strong if the premises, if true, make the conclusion highly probable.
21. What does "cogent" mean for inductive arguments? An inductive
argument is cogent if and only if it is strong AND all its premises are actually
true.
22. Can a valid argument have false premises? Yes, validity concerns only
the logical structure, not the actual truth of premises. A valid argument can have
false premises and a false conclusion.
23. Can a valid argument have a false conclusion? Yes, if at least one
premise is false, a valid argument can have a false conclusion.
, 24. Can an invalid argument have true premises and a true conclusion?
Yes, invalidity means the conclusion doesn't follow from the premises, but the
conclusion might still happen to be true.
25. What is a counterexample? A specific case that shows an argument to be
invalid by demonstrating that the premises could be true while the conclusion is
false.
26. What is argument reconstruction? The process of rewriting an argument
in standard form, identifying unstated premises, and clarifying the logical
structure.
27. What is the principle of charity? When reconstructing arguments,
interpret the argument in the strongest possible way that is consistent with the
arguer's likely intent.
28. What is the principle of fidelity? When reconstructing arguments, remain
faithful to the arguer's actual words and intended meaning rather than improving
it beyond recognition.
29. What is a convergent argument structure? Multiple premises each
independently support the same conclusion, like multiple roads leading to the
same destination.
30. What is a linked argument structure? Multiple premises work together as
a unit to support the conclusion; if one premise fails, the support collapses.
31. What is a divergent argument structure? One premise supports multiple
different conclusions.
32. What is a serial argument structure? A chain where one conclusion
becomes a premise for another conclusion.
33. What is an enthymeme? An argument with an unstated premise or
conclusion that the audience is expected to supply.
34. Are all arguments expressed in declarative sentences? Arguments are
composed of statements (declarative sentences that are either true or false), but
they may be embedded in questions, commands, or other speech acts.
35. What is the difference between truth and validity? Truth is a property of
statements (premises and conclusions); validity is a property of arguments (the
logical relationship between premises and conclusion).
36. Can a single sentence contain an entire argument? Yes, though it's often
clearer when premises and conclusion are separated into distinct sentences.
VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS | NEWEST VERSION
1. What is an argument? An argument is a set of statements where one or
more premises are offered as support, evidence, or reasons for a conclusion.
2. What are the two main components of an argument? Premises (supporting
statements) and a conclusion (the statement being supported).
3. What is a premise? A premise is a statement in an argument that provides
evidence, support, or reason for accepting the conclusion.
4. What is a conclusion? A conclusion is the statement in an argument that the
premises are intended to support or prove.
5. What is a conclusion indicator word? Words or phrases that typically
signal a conclusion is following, such as "therefore," "thus," "hence," "so,"
"consequently," "it follows that," and "we can conclude that."
6. What is a premise indicator word? Words or phrases that typically signal a
premise is following, such as "because," "since," "for," "given that," "assuming
that," "the reason is that," and "as shown by."
7. Can an argument have multiple premises? Yes, most arguments have
multiple premises that work together to support the conclusion.
8. Can an argument have multiple conclusions? Yes, some arguments contain
multiple conclusions, either as separate arguments or where one conclusion
serves as a premise for another.
9. What is the difference between an argument and an explanation? An
argument tries to prove that something is true; an explanation assumes
something is true and tells us why or how it happened.
10. What is the difference between an argument and a description? A
description merely portrays how something is; an argument attempts to provide
reasons to believe something.
,11. What is a simple argument? An argument with one conclusion supported
directly by one or more premises, with no intermediate conclusions.
12. What is a complex argument? An argument with intermediate conclusions
that serve as premises for further conclusions, creating a chain of reasoning.
13. What is an unstated premise? A premise that is assumed but not explicitly
stated in the argument; also called a hidden or suppressed premise.
14. Why is identifying unstated premises important? Because unstated
premises may contain questionable assumptions that need to be examined for
the argument's validity.
15. What is a standard form argument? An argument rewritten with premises
listed first, each on a separate line, followed by the conclusion, making the
logical structure explicit.
16. What is a deductive argument? An argument where the premises are
intended to guarantee the truth of the conclusion; if the premises are true, the
conclusion must be true.
17. What is an inductive argument? An argument where the premises are
intended to make the conclusion probable or likely, but do not guarantee it.
18. What does "valid" mean for deductive arguments? A deductive
argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for the premises to be true and
the conclusion false.
19. What does "sound" mean for deductive arguments? A deductive
argument is sound if and only if it is valid AND all its premises are actually
true.
20. What does "strong" mean for inductive arguments? An inductive
argument is strong if the premises, if true, make the conclusion highly probable.
21. What does "cogent" mean for inductive arguments? An inductive
argument is cogent if and only if it is strong AND all its premises are actually
true.
22. Can a valid argument have false premises? Yes, validity concerns only
the logical structure, not the actual truth of premises. A valid argument can have
false premises and a false conclusion.
23. Can a valid argument have a false conclusion? Yes, if at least one
premise is false, a valid argument can have a false conclusion.
, 24. Can an invalid argument have true premises and a true conclusion?
Yes, invalidity means the conclusion doesn't follow from the premises, but the
conclusion might still happen to be true.
25. What is a counterexample? A specific case that shows an argument to be
invalid by demonstrating that the premises could be true while the conclusion is
false.
26. What is argument reconstruction? The process of rewriting an argument
in standard form, identifying unstated premises, and clarifying the logical
structure.
27. What is the principle of charity? When reconstructing arguments,
interpret the argument in the strongest possible way that is consistent with the
arguer's likely intent.
28. What is the principle of fidelity? When reconstructing arguments, remain
faithful to the arguer's actual words and intended meaning rather than improving
it beyond recognition.
29. What is a convergent argument structure? Multiple premises each
independently support the same conclusion, like multiple roads leading to the
same destination.
30. What is a linked argument structure? Multiple premises work together as
a unit to support the conclusion; if one premise fails, the support collapses.
31. What is a divergent argument structure? One premise supports multiple
different conclusions.
32. What is a serial argument structure? A chain where one conclusion
becomes a premise for another conclusion.
33. What is an enthymeme? An argument with an unstated premise or
conclusion that the audience is expected to supply.
34. Are all arguments expressed in declarative sentences? Arguments are
composed of statements (declarative sentences that are either true or false), but
they may be embedded in questions, commands, or other speech acts.
35. What is the difference between truth and validity? Truth is a property of
statements (premises and conclusions); validity is a property of arguments (the
logical relationship between premises and conclusion).
36. Can a single sentence contain an entire argument? Yes, though it's often
clearer when premises and conclusion are separated into distinct sentences.
