Introduction to Logic Flashcards
By the end of this deck, learners will be able to understand the fundamental principles of logic and its significance across various disciplines, distinguish between formal and informal logic, and grasp the essential concepts of arguments, validity, and soundness in logical reasoning
What is the definition of logic?
Logic is the study of reasoning, particularly the evaluation of arguments and the principles that lead to valid conclusions.
How is logic applied in philosophy?
In philosophy, logic is used to analyze arguments, clarify ideas, and discern valid reasoning from fallacies.
What is formal logic?
Formal logic is a branch of logic that uses formal systems to evaluate the structure and validity of arguments.
Define informal logic.
Informal logic studies arguments in natural language, focusing on fallacies, argument structures, and reasoning quality outside formal systems.
What are the key differences between formal and informal logic?
Formal logic uses symbolic systems to analyze argument structure, while informal logic deals with natural language arguments and focuses on content and context.
What constitutes an argument in logic?
An argument in logic consists of one or more premises and a conclusion, where the premises are intended to provide support for the conclusion.
How do you determine an argument’s validity?
An argument is valid if its conclusion logically follows from its premises, regardless of the premises’ truth.
What does soundness mean in a logical argument?
An argument is sound if it is both valid and its premises are true.
What role do propositions play in logical arguments?
Propositions are declarative statements that can be either true or false and serve as the building blocks of logical arguments.
Provide an example where logical reasoning is used in science.
Scientists use logical reasoning to deduce implications from hypotheses and experimental results to establish scientific theories.
What is an ad hominem fallacy?
An ad hominem fallacy occurs when an argument attacks the person making the argument rather than addressing the argument itself.
True/False: An argument can be valid even if its premises are false.
True. Validity concerns the logical structure of the argument, not the truth value of its premises.
Identify the fallacy: “You shouldn’t listen to Jerry’s argument on climate change because he’s not a scientist.”
Ad hominem fallacy.
Which of the following is an example of a formal logical system?
a) Rhetoric
b) Predicate logic
c) Persuasion techniques
b) Predicate logic.
Scenario Analysis: If all roses are flowers and some flowers fade quickly, can we conclude that some roses fade quickly?
No, the conclusion does not logically follow from the premises (it’s a fallacy of the undistributed middle).
