Exam 1

Question 1

Define argument.

Answer 1

Set of claims that support another claim.

Question 2

What is a deductive argument?

Answer 2

An argument that is both sound and valid.

Question 3

What is a Modus Ponens argument?

Answer 3

If A is true B is true and A is true. So B is true. (doesn’t have to make sense)

Question 4

What is the key trait of a valid argument?

Answer 4

The premises are true and support the conclusion

Question 5

What is a Modus Tollens argument?

Answer 5

If A is true, then B is true.

B is not true. So A is not true.

Question 6

What is Hypothetical Syllogism?

Answer 6

If A and B are both true then C is true

Question 7

What is Disjunctive Syllogism?

Answer 7

Either A or B is true, and which one is true defines C

Question 8

What is the difference between validity and soundness.

Answer 8

Validity refers to argument structure and soundness to argument truth

Question 9

What is a strong argument?

Answer 9

One where the premises are all true and the conclusion is believable

Question 10

What is cogency in an argument?

Answer 10

Being strong and having all true premises

Question 11

What is the motive fallacy?

Does it invalidate an opinion automatically?

Answer 11

“Of course you would say that you are a ____.”

No

Question 12

What is the Cleve Backster story and what does it tell us?

Answer 12

Lie detector export who thought plants could talk to him. Being a lie detector expert does not make him a plant expert

Question 13

What is Pascal’s wager and list its biggest flaw?

Answer 13

Its safest to believe in god because at worst you lose nothing and at best you go to heaven whereas if you don’t believe in God you can only lose.
Only accounts for 1 religion

Question 14

What are weasel words and give an example?

Answer 14

Words that take meaning out of a conversation.

Words that sound reassuring without actually meaning anything.

Question 15

What are Hooray words?

Give an example.

Answer 15

Words that tap into positive emotions without being specific.
Justice, peace, equality, democracy

Question 16

What is begging the question?

Give an example.

Answer 16

Using your premise as your conclusion and vice verse.

Ex. The bible is true because it says it is

Question 17

What is Ad Hominem?

Give an example.

Answer 17

Attacking character rather than making a well thought out argument. Very similar to “you can hardly talk”
Believing that someone who is an expert in something has opinion invalidated by having other character flaws.

Question 18

What is a straw man?

Give an example.

Answer 18

Twisting someone’s argument to make it easier to refute.
Original: I think we should take care of immigrants
Twisted: So you want to bankrupt this country for random people who will abuse our kindness?

Question 19

What is Shut Up- “You’re Boring”

Give an example.

Answer 19

Using the same argument repeatedly invalidates it?

Ex: Everytime we talk about Trump you talk about covffee find something new to talk about.

Question 20

What is the fallacy of composition?

Give an example

Answer 20

Because a component has a trait the whole must have a trait.

Ex: emergent properties of water

Question 21

What is the John Minto story?

Answer 21

Minto was against a tour in Africa and someone said that the fact that they were suffering did not validate the African’s opinions

Question 22

Define Fallacy.

Answer 22

Faulty reasoning in an argument