PHIL 160 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
If Senator Hillary Clinton represents California, she represents a western state. Hillary
Clinton does not represent a western state. Therefore, Hillary Clinton does not
represent California - Answers - Deductive
The loin of swordfish at the exclusive Teller's restaurant was wonderful last night.
Therefore, it is a good bet that the same item, which appears on tonight's menus, is
wonderful. - Answers - Inductive
Since the Dept. of Defense building outside D.C. has the shape of a hexagon, it follows
that it has seven sides. - Answers - Deductive (math)
When Tom drove his car out of the driveway this morning there were oil stains on the
pavement. These stains were not there he drove the car in the night before. We may
conclude that Tom's car is leaking oil. - Answers - Inductive
Every map of the US shows that Alabama is situated on the Pacific coast. Therefore,
Alabama must be a western state. - Answers - Inductive, strong, uncogent.
Since Phyllis is the cousin of Denise, and Denise is the cousin of Harriet, it follows
necessarily that Harriet is the cousin of Phyllis - Answers - Deductive, invalid, unsound.
This figure is a triangle. Therefore, the sum of its angles is equal to two right angles. -
Answers - Deductive, valid, sound
Since this cereal box is twice as high as that one, it follows that with certainty that the
box holds twice as much as that one. - Answers - Deductive, invalid, unsound
Constructing the great pyramid at Giza required lifting massive stone blocks to great
heights. Probably the ancient Egyptians had some anti-gravity device to accomplish this
feat. - Answers - Inductive, weak, uncogent
John is a bachelor; therefore, he is an unmarried male. - Answers - Deductive, valid,
sound
All automakers are computer manufactures; and United Airlines is an automaker.
Consequentially, United Airlines is a computer manufactuer. - Answers - Deductive,
valid, unsound
The ebb and flow of the tides has been occurring every day for millions of years.
Therefore, probably the motion of the tides will continue ebbing and flowing tomorrow. -
Answers - Inductive, strong, cogent
, Former antiterrorism czar Richard Clark argues in his bok that the IRaq war was a
terrible mistake and that it undermines the war on terrorism; but it's clear that Clark
makes these outlandish claims merely to drum up sales for his book, we shouldn't take
his arguments seriously. - Answers - Argument against the person
You argue that I should cut down on my drinking. But you drink much more heavily than
I. You havn't been sober in a year. WHy should I listen to you? - Answers - Argument
against the person
The govt has no right to spy on its citizens because citizens ahve a right to privacy. This
is true b ecause such a right is guaranteed by the constitution- which follows from the
fact that our founding fathers recognized the sanctity of individual privacy against teh
intrusive power of the govt. and of course this is true bc the govt has no right to spy on
its citizens. - Answers - Begging the question
Nobody has ever proved that weapons of mass destruction do not exist in Iraq.
Therefore, those weapons must be in that country somewhere. - Answers - Appeal to
ignorance
It is ridiculous to hear that man from Peru complain about America's poverty. Peru has
twice as much poverty as America has ever had. - Answers - Argument against the
person
Extensive laboratory tests have failed to prove any deleterious side effects of the new
painkiller lexaprine. We conclude that lexaprine is safe for human consumption. -
Answers - No fallacy
Humanitarian groups have argued in favor of housing for the poor. What they really
want is just another high-density project. Unfortunately, these projects have been tried
in the past and have failed. In no time they turn into ghettos with astronomical rates of
crime and delinquency. Chicago's Cabrini-Green is a prime example. Clearly, the
humanitarian arguments are false. - Answers - Straw man
A geometrical proof is an example of an inductive argument - Answers - FALSE (math)
In the straw man fallacy, an arguer often distorts another person's argument by making
it look more extreme than it really is. - Answers - False (weakens other person's
argument)
Most arguments based on statistical reasoning are deductive - Answers - false
If an argument contains the phrase "it definitely follows that" then we know for certain
that the argument is deductive - Answers - false
If an argument has true premises and a true conclusion, it is a perfectly good argument
- Answers - false
If Senator Hillary Clinton represents California, she represents a western state. Hillary
Clinton does not represent a western state. Therefore, Hillary Clinton does not
represent California - Answers - Deductive
The loin of swordfish at the exclusive Teller's restaurant was wonderful last night.
Therefore, it is a good bet that the same item, which appears on tonight's menus, is
wonderful. - Answers - Inductive
Since the Dept. of Defense building outside D.C. has the shape of a hexagon, it follows
that it has seven sides. - Answers - Deductive (math)
When Tom drove his car out of the driveway this morning there were oil stains on the
pavement. These stains were not there he drove the car in the night before. We may
conclude that Tom's car is leaking oil. - Answers - Inductive
Every map of the US shows that Alabama is situated on the Pacific coast. Therefore,
Alabama must be a western state. - Answers - Inductive, strong, uncogent.
Since Phyllis is the cousin of Denise, and Denise is the cousin of Harriet, it follows
necessarily that Harriet is the cousin of Phyllis - Answers - Deductive, invalid, unsound.
This figure is a triangle. Therefore, the sum of its angles is equal to two right angles. -
Answers - Deductive, valid, sound
Since this cereal box is twice as high as that one, it follows that with certainty that the
box holds twice as much as that one. - Answers - Deductive, invalid, unsound
Constructing the great pyramid at Giza required lifting massive stone blocks to great
heights. Probably the ancient Egyptians had some anti-gravity device to accomplish this
feat. - Answers - Inductive, weak, uncogent
John is a bachelor; therefore, he is an unmarried male. - Answers - Deductive, valid,
sound
All automakers are computer manufactures; and United Airlines is an automaker.
Consequentially, United Airlines is a computer manufactuer. - Answers - Deductive,
valid, unsound
The ebb and flow of the tides has been occurring every day for millions of years.
Therefore, probably the motion of the tides will continue ebbing and flowing tomorrow. -
Answers - Inductive, strong, cogent
, Former antiterrorism czar Richard Clark argues in his bok that the IRaq war was a
terrible mistake and that it undermines the war on terrorism; but it's clear that Clark
makes these outlandish claims merely to drum up sales for his book, we shouldn't take
his arguments seriously. - Answers - Argument against the person
You argue that I should cut down on my drinking. But you drink much more heavily than
I. You havn't been sober in a year. WHy should I listen to you? - Answers - Argument
against the person
The govt has no right to spy on its citizens because citizens ahve a right to privacy. This
is true b ecause such a right is guaranteed by the constitution- which follows from the
fact that our founding fathers recognized the sanctity of individual privacy against teh
intrusive power of the govt. and of course this is true bc the govt has no right to spy on
its citizens. - Answers - Begging the question
Nobody has ever proved that weapons of mass destruction do not exist in Iraq.
Therefore, those weapons must be in that country somewhere. - Answers - Appeal to
ignorance
It is ridiculous to hear that man from Peru complain about America's poverty. Peru has
twice as much poverty as America has ever had. - Answers - Argument against the
person
Extensive laboratory tests have failed to prove any deleterious side effects of the new
painkiller lexaprine. We conclude that lexaprine is safe for human consumption. -
Answers - No fallacy
Humanitarian groups have argued in favor of housing for the poor. What they really
want is just another high-density project. Unfortunately, these projects have been tried
in the past and have failed. In no time they turn into ghettos with astronomical rates of
crime and delinquency. Chicago's Cabrini-Green is a prime example. Clearly, the
humanitarian arguments are false. - Answers - Straw man
A geometrical proof is an example of an inductive argument - Answers - FALSE (math)
In the straw man fallacy, an arguer often distorts another person's argument by making
it look more extreme than it really is. - Answers - False (weakens other person's
argument)
Most arguments based on statistical reasoning are deductive - Answers - false
If an argument contains the phrase "it definitely follows that" then we know for certain
that the argument is deductive - Answers - false
If an argument has true premises and a true conclusion, it is a perfectly good argument
- Answers - false
