Quiz 1

Question 1

Epistemology

Answer 1

considers the nature, extent, and justification of knowledge. Are all claims to knowledge justified in the same way, by appeal to broadly the same kind of evidence, or are some theories — say, those of mathematics, the social sciences, cultural studies — warranted by considerations different from those natural scientists demand?

Question 2

. Arguments: The Tools of the Trade

Answer 2

. Argument - a set of declarative statements with one statement being argued for (the conclusion), and other statements (premises) given as support or proof.

1. Premise - what is given as support or evidence for a conclusion.
2. Conclusion - what follows from the premises, what is being claimed.

Question 3

F

Answer 3

Deductive Argument - an argument where the conclusion is conclusively supported by the premises

C. Inductive Argument - an argument where the conclusion is only strongly supported by the premises

Question 4

F

Answer 4

Qualities Of Deductive Arguments: Validity And Soundness.

In deductive logic there are two main terms of argument evaluation: valid and sound. To begin with validity. There are several different ways to define this, but the definitions are all equivalent, i.e., they all mean the same thing. Think of it whatever way suits you.
Def. 1. An argument is valid if, and only if, supposing the premises are all true, then the conclusion is necessarily true (it must be true).
Def. 2. An argument is valid if, and only if, supposing the premises are all true, then the conclusion cannot be false.
Def. 3. An argument is valid if, and only if, supposing the conclusion is false, then at least one premise is necessarily false (it must be that one is false).
Def. 4. An argument is valid if, and only if, there is no possible situation where all the premises be true, and the conclusion is false.

Here is a definition of “sound”:
Def. An argument is sound if, and only if, it is valid and all of its premises are true.