Lecture 2 (reasoning) Flashcards
What is ambiguity?
multiple ways of possible interpretation for a single propositio
what’s the fallacy of equivocation?
using ambiguity to obscure argument content
What’s lexical ambiguity?
expressions that are ambiguous in the absence of context
What are Homonyms?
words with different meanings and spellings but with the same pronunciation
What is syntatic ambiguity? 2
- sentence can be understood in multiple ways because of the arrangement of the words
- Syntactically ambiguous sentences should be rewritten so the meaning is clear
How is vagueness defined? 2
meaning of the expression is unclear and indefinite
or a word is given in an unfitting context and is thus unclear
What is a word’s primary connotation?
- a rule by which the meaning of the word is decided and whose characteristics have to apply to every instance of the object
- e.g. tsunami = large ocean wave
What is a word’s secondary connotation? 4
- things one assumes about the meaning of the expression based on its primary connotation but which does not have to apply to every instance of the object
- can contribute to vagueness
- metaphors rely heavily on and emphasize secondary connotations
- gives the word more rhetorical force
rhetorical questions?
making a point indirectly by relying on the intention being obvious
Irony?
usage of a sentence whose literal meaning is the exact opposite to its intended meaning
Quantifiers? 4
- expressions detailing the existing amount of something
- Quantifiers may not be used with enough precision so it is easier for the speaker to defend themselves when questioned
- Some quantifiers are inherently vague, but at the same time, omitting quantifiers can make statements vague
- Using more specific quantifiers is desirable in science because it makes the statement more falisifiable (also works to fight generalization)
Generalizations? 1+2+1
- generalizations are statements about things in different categories
- soft generalizations: generalization about certain things being true in many cases but not in all
- hard generalizations: generalization without exception and directed towards every instance
- disproving generalisations with a single counterexample, means assuming that a hard generalisation was
intended, which is often not justified (gradpa that smoked example)
rhetorical force?
the suggestive and emotive component of an argument which amplifies the attempt of persuasion
implicature? 1+1+2
- unstated meaning that can be thought to have been intended
- conversational implicature: usually implied in normal conversation, can be misleading when doing logical assessment
- contextual information is crucial for recognizing implicature
- can only imply something if the listener believes the implication to have been intentional
what are definitions and their necessary and sufficient conditions?
- definitions: describe the necessary components to categorize something as being what it is
- necessary conditions: conditions that have to be satisfied for the object to count as the object
- sufficient conditions: conditions that are enough, if satisfied, for the object to count as the object, but do not have to be satisfied by all instances of the object
creating definitions? 3
- selecting plausible necessary and sufficient conditions
- testing these by looking for counterexamples (either fitting the description but not being X, or not fitting the description but being X)
- either altering definition or excluding X