Crash Course Questions

Define Counter-Argument

An argument to oppose or refute another argument

What fallacy does the argument, " How could you be a good thinker if you can't grow a good beard." be?

Argumentum ad hominem

What are examples of an inductive argument?

Believing that an aspirin tablet will cure your headache because countless aspirin tablets have cured countless headaches in the past. You want to see the new Marvel movie because you liked most of the other ones.

How are Inductive and Deductive arguments different?

Deductive is where true premises entail true conclusion. Inductive arguments don't provide you with certainty. Instead they work in terms of probabilities.

Which professions constantly uses abduction constantly?

Doctors use abduction a lot when they're diagnosing illnesses, and detective of course use it when piecing together evidence.

What is the definition of Grue?

Grue is anything that's the color green before a certain time, a time that we will call "t". Another property of grue is that, while it's green before time t, it's blue after it.

What does inductive reasoning rely on when predicting the Future?

Inductive reasoning relies on the predictability of nature to reveal that the future is likely to resemble the past. How are Inductive and Deductive arguments different? Deductive is where true premises entail true conclusion. Inductive arguments don't provide you with certainty. Instead they work in terms of probabilities.

What is the Socratic Method?

Learning through a dialectic exchange of ideas, rather than a passive transmission of information

Bonus question: What is the most important element to an argument?

Listening to what the other person is saying.

Who is Nelson Goodman?

Nelson Goodman was a contemporary American philosopher who confronted the problems of induction, using a thought exercise about a hypothetical substance called grue.

Define Interlocutors

People participating in a dialogue, debate or conversation

What is Sherlock's reasoning an example of?

Sherlock's reasoning is an example of abduction.

What is the most important piece needed to create an abductive argument?

Specific facts/details are the most important because they allow you to create a specific conclusion.

How do inductive arguments start?

Starts with what we already know

What does the Grue riddle teach us as philosphers?

The Grue riddle reminds us that the inductive evidence can be flawed, or contradictory. It can make you think you can predict the future, when of course you can't.

What is the goal of the Socratic Method?

Using dialogue to exchange ideas in an argument? Brings both interlocutors closer to the truth

What is an inductive argument?

Using past experience to make future predictions

Define outliers

While the world tends to work according to predictable rules, sometimes those rules are violated

How would an interlocutor respond to a counterargument?

With a counter-counter argument that works closer to the truth

What is an abduction argument?

drawing a conclusion based on the explanation that best explains a state of events, rather than from evidence provided by the premises