Reasoning

Question 1

Reasoning

Answer 1

provides an explanation for an event through the movement from premises to conclusions in an argument

i.e. the way we justify a conclusion based on the premises

Question 2

Argument

Answer 2

the presentation of a conclusion supported by one or more premises

Question 3

Conclusion

Answer 3

the main point of an argument (i.e. the claim or a thesis)

Question 4

Premise

Answer 4

the evidence presented to support a conclusion

Question 5

What are the two kinds of reasoning?

Answer 5

1. Inductive
2. Deductive

Question 6

Deductive Reasoning

Answer 6

moves from general principles to specific conclusions with no other information than the premises themselves (REQUIRES NO ASSUMPTIONS)

Question 7

Deductive reasoning example from class

Answer 7

Premise 1: All dogs are hairy
Premise 2: This animal has no hair
Conclusion: The animal is not a dog

Question 8

My own example of deductive reasoning

Answer 8

Premise 1: The gas light in a car comes on when gas is low.
Premise 2: My car’s gas light is on.
Conclusion: My car is low on gas.

Question 9

Validity

Answer 9

the conclusion follows logically and inseparably from the premises

*does not matter if the premises are true, as long as the conclusion follows from the premises
*regarding validity, it is impossible for the premises to be true and the conclusion to be false

Question 10

Soundness

Answer 10

the argument is valid and the premises are true

Question 11

Own example of an argument that is valid but not sound

Answer 11

Premise 1: Only fish can survive in the water (untrue premise).
Premise 2: Dolphins live in the water.
Conclusion: Dolphins are fish.

Question 12

Own example of an argument that is valid and sound

Answer 12

Premise 1: The gas light in a car comes on when gas is low.
Premise 2: My car’s gas light is on.
Conclusion: My car is low on gas.

Question 13

Inductive Reasoning

Answer 13

when we rely on an assumption in order to draw the conclusion from a premise

*typically moves from specific observations to general principles

Question 14

Inductive reasoning example from class

Answer 14

Premise 1: Every dog I’ve ever seen has hair
Conclusion: Therefore, every dog has hair

Question 15

Own example of inductive reasoning (including the warrant)

Answer 15

Premise: Every bird I’ve ever seen can fly.
Warrant: The sample of birds I’ve seen is representative of all birds.
Conclusion: Therefore, all birds can fly.

Question 16

Warrant

Answer 16

the assumption that connects a premise to a claim in inductive reasoning

Question 17

Warrant example from class

Answer 17

Premise 1: Every dog I’ve ever seen has hair
Warrant: The sample of dogs that I’ve seen is representative of all dogs
Conclusion: Therefore, every dog has hair

Question 18

How are deductive arguments assessed?

Answer 18

In terms of validity and in soundness

Question 19

How are inductive arguments assessed?

Answer 19

On a continuum between strong and weak induction

Question 20

Strong inductive argument from class

Answer 20

The sun will rise in the east tomorrow because there is scientific evidence it has done so for trillions of years

Question 21

Own example of strong inductive argument

Answer 21

Premise: Teenagers who use social media users frequently compare themselves to people they follow.
Premise: Depression rates among teenagers has risen substantially in the past decade.
Conclusion: Social media usage is contributing to high rates of depression among teenagers.

Question 22

Weak inductive argument from class

Answer 22

Every dog I’ve seen has hair, so all dogs have hair

Question 23

Confirmation Bias

Answer 23

the tendency to notice only instances that support a pre-informed conclusion and ignore anything that doesn’t support the conclusion

Question 24

Hypothesis

Answer 24

a specific applied statement that describes what I expect the outcome of an empirical test to be

Question 25

Own example of a weak inductive argument

Answer 25

Premise: Every bird I’ve ever seen can fly.
Warrant: The sample of birds I’ve seen is representative of all birds.
Conclusion: Therefore, all birds can fly.

Question 26

Scientific Process

Answer 26

movement from inductive reasoning in the construction of a theory, to deductive reasoning to empirically testing a hypothesis based on a theory

Question 27

Falsifiability

Answer 27

the ability to prove that a hypothesis is wrong

Question 28

Verisimilitude

Answer 28

the resemblance of truth

*a test that supports a hypothesis doesn’t prove a hypothesis, it adds verisimilitude

Question 29

What does a hypothesis come from?

Answer 29

A theory, which is produced from inductive reasoning

Question 30

What does the conclusion from an inductive argument become?

Answer 30

It turns into the premise in the deductive argument

Question 31

What does the conclusion in a deductive argument become?

Answer 31

A hypothesis

*for a hypothesis to be supported, it must be sound (?)

Question 32

Create your own theory and hypothesis from an inductive and deductive argument

Answer 32

Inductive Reasoning
Premise: For the past week I have been on my phone for multiple hours before bed.
Premise: For the past week, I have woken up multiple times throughout the night.
Conclusion (theory): Blue light before bed disrupts your sleep cycle.

Deductive Reasoning
Premise: Blue light before bed disrupts your sleep cycle.
Premise: I set up an experiment.
Hypothesis: People that spend time on their phone before bed will wake up in the middle of the night more, compared to those who don’t spend time on their phone before bed.

Question 33

Example of constructing a theory and hypothesis from class

Answer 33

Inductive Reasoning
Premise (observation): bands of coyotes appear to have smaller litters after hearing a lot of vocalizations from rival bands
Conclusion (theory): more vocalizations from rival bands lead to smaller litters the following spring

Deductive Reasoning
Premise 1 (theory): more vocalizations from rival bands lead to smaller litters the following spring
Premise 2 (test): I set up an experiment
Conclusion (hypothesis): I will see smaller litters from the bands