Phil 2100: Critical Thinking Learning Activity 9Deductive Logic

Name____Kou Vang__________

Part 1: Deductive logic exercises: Identify the valid, deductive form of the argument given. You do NOT need to write the argument in a formal way, but you may CHOOSE to do this as a way to figure out the form of the argument. Be careful: You may have to remove extraneous words and explanations and/or supply missing premises or conclusions. Example: If we want a stronger economy, then we have to decrease our dependence on foreign oil. We do want a stronger economy, so we must decrease our dependence on foreign oil. 1. If stronger economy, then decrease foreign oil. 2. Stronger economy. 3. Therefore, decrease foreign oil. 1. If e, then o. 2. e. 3. Therefore, o ***Remember, you do not need to write the argument in a formal waybut I have done so here so you can see what it looks like as a way to learn. I strongly suggest trying to write the argument in some way before you identify the form. Modus Ponens 1. There were no teachers in the bear room at preschool. If there is school that day, then the teachers are always present in the room. So, there must be no preschool today. Modus Tollens 2. I dont want to eat meatballs. I think they are gross. But, at this party, I can either eat meatballs or just crackers. I guess Ill just have to eat crackers! Disjunctive Syllogism 3. We can either vote for McCain or for Obama this November. If we vote for McCain, we gain his experience from many years in the Senate. If we vote for Obama, we gain his fresh perspective on old problems. So, we either vote for experience or a fresh perspective. Dilemma 4. [Anxiety about appearance]will be familiar, in one form or another, to anyone whose appearance fails to measure up to the aesthetic standards current in American culture. In America, your social status is tied to your self-presentation, and if your self-presentation fails, then your status drops. If your status drops, then so does your self-respect. Without self-respect, you cannot be truly fulfilled. If you are not fulfilled, then you are not living a truly meaningful life. This is the cruel logic of our particular moral system. (From Elliott, Better Than Well.) Hypothetical Syllogism

5. Now if one substance can exist apart from another the two are really distinct (Def. X). But the mind and the body are substances (Defs. V, VI, and VII) which can exist apart from each other (as has just been proved). Therefore there is a real distinction between the mind and the body. (From Descartes, via Pospesel logic text) Modus Ponens

6. Beach police theorized the trio of robbers who invaded the Tepper residence at 4830 Pine Tree Dr. about 9:15 a.m. yesterday arrived by boat. They got away with $5,000 in jewelry and currency. A crew of linemen in the street outside the home saw no cars arrive or leave during the robbery. But the rear of the house has a dock on Indian Creek. (From Pospesel logic text) Disjunctive Syllogism 7. Death is one of two things. Either it is annihilation, and the dead have no consciousness of anything, or, as we are told, it is really a changea migration of the soul from this place to another. Now if there is no consciousness but only a dreamless sleep, death must be a marvelous gainIf death is like this, then, I call it a gain, because the whole of time, if you look at it in this way, can be regarded as no more than one single night. If on the other hand death is a removal from here to some other place, and if what we are told is true, that all the dead are there, what greater blessing could there be than this, gentlemen?Put it in this way. How much would one of you give to meet Orpheus and Musaeus, Hesiod and Homer? (From Plato, the Apology, via Pospesel logic text) Dilemma 8. A computer scientist announces that he's constructed a computer program that can play the perfect game of chess: he claims that this program is guaranteed to win every game it plays, whether it plays black or white, with never a loss or a draw, and against any opponent whatsoever. The computer scientist claims to have a mathematical proof that his program will always win, but the proof runs to 500 pages of dense mathematical symbols, and no one has yet been able to verify it. Still, the program has just played 20 games against Gary Kasparov and it won every game, 10 as white and 10 as black. Should you believe the computer scientist's claim that the program is so designed that it will always win against every opponent? No. Here's why: Suppose for the sake of argument that a perfect chess program that always wins were possible. Then we could program two computers with that program and have them play each other. By hypothesis, the program is supposed to win every game it plays, no matter who the opponent is, and no matter whether it plays white or black. So when the program plays itself, both sides would have to win. But that's impossible! In no chess game can both white and black be winners. So the supposition that a perfect chess program is possible leads to an absurd result. So that supposition must be false. A perfect chess program with the abilities the computer scientist claims must not be possible. (From http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/vocab/goodbad.html) Reductio Ad Absurdum

Part II. Complete each of the following incomplete deductive arguments by filling in the missing premise or conclusion. Then identify the type of deductive argument that is present. Avoid using any of the invalid forms. Example: P1 If you drive your car with little motor oil in the engine, then the engine will overheat. P2 If the engine overheats, you will need to buy a new engine. ____________________ .: If you drive your car with little motor oil in the engine, then you will need to buy a new engine. Type of argument above: Hypothetical Syllogism 1. P1 If Chung wants to save money on his gas bill, then he must turn down his thermostat at night. P2 Chung does not turn down his thermostat at night. .: Chung will not save money on his gas bill. Type of argument above: Modus Tollens 2. P1 Either Lucy joins the Army reserves or she can not go to college. P2 She wants to go to college. .:So, Lucy must join the Army reserves. Type of argument above:Disjunctive Syllogism 3. P1 If humans have been cloned by Clone Aid, then this company would be open to DNA analysis of the mother and child to corroborate their claim. P2 This company is not open to DNA analysis of the mother and child to corroborate their claim. _______________________ .: Humans have not been cloned by Clone Aid. Type of argument above:Modus Tollens 4. P1 I am either going to vacation in Tahiti or Alaska this winter. P2 If I vacation in Tahiti, then I will see the sandy beaches. P3 If I vacation in Alaska, then I will see the spectacular Northern Lights. __________________________ .: My winter vacation will either be to see sandy beaches or the spectacular Northern Lights. Type of argument above:Dilemma 5. P1 If Cindy does not know how to do research on the internet, then she should ask a librarian for help and practice using search engines. P2 Cindy does not know how to do research on the internet. .: Therefore, she should ask a librarian for help and practice using search engines. Type of argument above:Modus Ponens 6. P1 I either name my son Gail or I dont name him Gail. P2 If I name my son Gail, then some might think it is a girls name. P3 If I dont name my son Gail, then I will not carry out a family name.

.: Either some might think it is a girls name or I will not carry out a family name. Type of argument above:Dilemma 7. P1 If there was true equality in the workplace, then women would not earn 74 cents for every dollar made by a man. P2 Women make 74 cents for every dollar made by a man. .: Therefore, there is not true equality in the workplace Type of argument above:Modus Tollens 8. P1 If you do not cover your mouth when you sneeze, then germs will be spread into the air. P2 If germs are spread into the air, then the other people will get sick. .: Therefore, if you do not cover your mouth when you sneeze, other people will get sick. Type of argument above:Hypothetical Syllogism 9. P1 Either my dad quits smoking or I should prepare myself for some unhappy news. P2 My dad will never quit smoking. .: I should prepare myself for some unhappy news. Type of argument above:Disjunctive Syllogism