Phil Quiz Questions
A slippery-slope pattern of argument is fallacious when... Question 23 options: a) There is no good reason to think that doing one action will inevitably lead to another undesirable action b) There are only two possible results c) It is hypothetical d) There is good reason to think that doing one action will inevitably lead to another undesirable action
A
According to social relativism, the beliefs of a society... a) Cannot be mistaken b) Cannot be true c) Can be mistaken d) Cannot be false
A
An argument intended to provide logically conclusive support for its conclusion is... Question 13 options: a) Deductive b) Inductive c) Valid d) Sound
A
An argument with this form—"If p, then q. If q, then r. Therefore, if p, then r"—is known as... Question 6 options: a) Hypothetical syllogism b) Modus tollens c) Modus ponens d) Disjunctive syllogism
A
An inductive argument of this form—Most A's are X's; John is an A; therefore John is probably an X—is known as... Question 1 options: a) A statistical syllogism b) An argument by analogy c) Enumerative induction d) A deductive syllogism
A
An inductively strong argument with true premises is said to be... Question 15 options: a) Cogent b) Invalid c) Valid d) Sound
A
Believing a proposition without good reasons is... a) A recipe for incorrect conclusions b) Rational c) A recipe for finding inductive truths d) A sign of strong emotions
A
Eyewitness testimony is... Question 10 options: a) Unreliable b) Unorthodox c) Authoritative d) Reliable
A
Group pressure generally does not help you to... a) Proportion your belief to the strength of reasons b) Reject claims endorsed by groups c) Accept only claims endorsed by preferred groups d) Proportion your belief to the strength of group influence
A
In a conditional statement, unless means "if not" and introduces... Question 14 options: a) The antecedent b) The consequent c) A negation d) The conjunct
A
Terms that signal a deductive argument include... Question 16 options: a) Necessarily, it follows that, and absolutely b) It is plausible that, almost, and finally c) Probably, chances are, and likely d) Formally, broadly, and odds are
A
The argument pattern known as modus ponens is... Question 10 options: a) Valid b) Invalid c) Weak d) Strong
A
The fallacy of arguing that what is true of the parts must be true of the whole is called... Question 15 options: a) Composition b) Division c) Faulty analogy d) Equivocation
A
The fallacy of arguing that what is true of the parts must be true of the whole is known as... Question 13 options: a) Composition b) Ridicule c) Dysphemism d) Equivocation
A
The four logical connectives are... Question 12 options: a) Conditionals, disjunctions, negations, and conjunctions b) Conjunctions, conditionals, compounds, and disjunctions c) Conjuncts, disjuncts, conditionals, and negations d) Conjunctions, statements, disjuncts, and conditionals
A
The name of the following argument form is... p → q q → r ∴ p → r Question 9 options: a) Hypothetical syllogism b) Denying the consequent c) Disjunctive syllogism d) Modus tollens
A
The name of the following rule of replacement is... ~~p ≡ p p ≡ ~~p Question 17 options: a) Double negation b) Tautology c) Modus tollens d) Simplification
A
The symbolic form of "Aiming that loaded gun at someone is not a good idea" is... Question 5 options: a) ~p b) p → q c) p & q d) p v q
A
The symbolic form of "It is not the case that philosophy is dead, and it is not true that science has replaced it" is... Question 4 options: a) ~p & ~q b) p v q c) ~p & q d) p*q
A
The symbolization for a disjunction is... Question 15 options: a) p v q b) ~p c) p → q d) p & q
A
The use of a word in two different senses in an argument is known as... Question 1 options: a) Equivocation b) Straw man c) Argument by analogy d) Red herring
A
These two statements—"The Wall Street Journal says that people should invest heavily in stocks. Therefore, investing in stocks is a smart move."—constitute... Question 6 options: a) An argument b) Two conclusions c) No argument d) An explanation
A
This argument—"If you're eighteen, you're eligible to vote. But you're only seventeen. You're not eligible to vote"—is... Question 8 options: a) Invalid b) Valid c) Weak d) Strong
A
This sentence—"Going to war in Iraq was a mistake"—is an example of... Question 7 options: a) A statement b) A premise back by reasons c) An argument d) An argument with an implied premise
A
To say that perception and memory are constructive is to say that they are... Question 11 options: a) Continually devising perceptions and memories from mental fragments b) One hundred percent reliable c) Always wrong d) Like recording devices
A
When a claim is neither worthy of outright rejection nor deserving of complete acceptance, we should... Question 12 options: a) Proportion our belief to the evidence b) Tentatively reject it c) Proportion our belief to background information d) Tentatively accept it
A
When experts disagree about a claim, we have good reason to... Question 6 options: a) Doubt it b) Dismiss it c) Reject it d) Believe it
A
When we draw a conclusion about a target group based on an inadequate sample size, we make an error known as... Question 2 options: a) Hasty generalization b) Inductive fault c) Biased sample d) Representative sample
A
When you show why or how something is the way it is, you are... Question 3 options: a) Offering an explanation b) Stating an argument c) Showing that a statement cannot be proved d) Showing that a statement is in dispute
A
A conditional is false only when the antecedent is... Question 3 options: a) False and the consequent is true b) True and the consequent is false c) False and the consequent is false d) True and the consequent is true
B
A deductively valid argument that has true premises is said to be... Question 4 options: a) Probable b) Sound c) Strong d) Cogen
B
A type of ad hominem fallacy that argues that a claim must be true (or false) just because the claimant is hypocritical is called... Question 18 options: a) Personal attack b) Tu quoque c) Poisoning the well d) Equivocation
B
Accepting a claim solely because it furthers your interests... a) Is a shortcut to reliable conclusions b) Is contrary to principles of critical thinking c) Is reasonable d) Is consistent with principles of critical thinking
B
An argument with this form—"Either p or q. Not p. Therefore, q"—is known as... Question 11 options: a) Modus tollens b) Disjunctive syllogism c) Hypothetical syllogism d) Dual syllogism
B
Arguing that your doing something morally wrong is justified because someone else has done the same (or similar) thing is known as the fallacy of... Question 5 options: a) Appeal to pity b) Two wrongs make a right c) Straw man d) Scare tactics
B
Drawing an unwarranted conclusion or generalization about an entire group of people is called... Question 12 options: a) Dysphemism b) Stereotyping c) Straw man d) Rhetorical definition
B
Indicator words are... a) Words that frequently accompany arguments and signal that a premise or conclusion is present b) Words that frequently accompany arguments and signal that the conclusion is true c) Implicit statements d) Premises pointing to a conclusion
B
Modus tollens has this argument pattern... Question 9 options: a) Either p or q. Not p. Therefore, q. b) If p, then q. Not q. Therefore, not p. c) If p, then q. q. Therefore, p. d) If p, then q. If q, then r. Therefore, if p, then r.
B
Rejecting a claim by criticizing the person who makes it rather than the claim itself is called... Question 21 options: a) Appeal to emotion b) Appeal to the person c) Red herring d) Begging the question
B
Self-interested thinking can leave you vulnerable to... a) The needs of others b) Propaganda and manipulation c) Well-established claims d) Self-examination and self-denial
B
Statements backed by good reasons are... Question 2 options: a) To be believed with certainty b) Worthy of strong acceptance c) Beyond doubt d) Deserving of weak acceptance
B
Subjective relativism is the idea that... a) There is a way the world is b) Truth depends on what someone believes c) Truth is relative to societies d) Some objective truths are about our subjective states
B
The argument form "If p, then q. q. Therefore, p" is... Question 2 options: a) Modus ponens b) Invalid c) Weak d) Valid
B
The argument form denying the antecedent is... Question 3 options: a) False b) Invalid c) Strong d) Valid
B
The argument—"No one has shown that ghosts aren't real, so they must be real"—is an example of... Question 6 options: a) Hasty generalization b) Appeal to ignorance c) Begging the question d) Slippery slope
B
The classic argument—"The Bible says that God exists. The Bible is true because God wrote it. Therefore, God exists"—is an example of... Question 19 options: a) Appeal to emotion b) Begging the question c) Appeal to the person d) Appeal to tradition
B
The fallacy of deliberately raising an irrelevant issue during an argument is called a(n)... Question 7 options: a) Composition b) Red herring c) Straw man d) Appeal to ignorance
B
The genetic fallacy is arguing that a claim is true or false solely because of its... Question 20 options: a) Analogies b) Origin c) Premises d) Form
B
The invalid argument form known as affirming the consequent has this pattern: Question 14 options: a) If p, then q. p. Therefore, q. b) If p, then q. q. Therefore, p. c) Either p or q. Not p. Therefore, q. d) If p, then q. Not p. Therefore, not q
B
The sign of a maturing intellect is having the will and the courage to gradually prune beliefs that are a) Unnecessary b) Groundless c) Approved of by our group d) Uncomfortable
B
The symbolization for a conjunction is... Question 2 options: a) ~p b) p & q c) p v q d) p → q
B
Usually the burden of proof rests on the side that... Question 9 options: a) Tries to prove a negative b) Makes a positive claim c) Is winning d) Makes a negative claim
B
Week 7 Start: The steps in a proof are expressed as... Question 1 options: a) Rules of proof b) Rules of inference c) Truth tables d) The biconditional method
B
"The systematic evaluation or formulation of beliefs, or statements, by rational standards" describes... a) Subjective relativism b) Egocentrism c) Critical thinking d) Self-interested thinking
C
A representative sample must resemble the target group in... Question 6 options: a) Some respects b) Every respect c) All the ways that matter d) At least two ways
C
An argument of this form—P. Therefore, p—is called... Question 4 options: a) Argument from ignorance b) Appeal to the person c) Begging the question d) Equivocation
C
An inductive argument that succeeds in providing probable, but not conclusive, logical support for its conclusion is said to be... Question 5 options: a) Inductive b) Weak c) Strong d) Cogent
C
An inductive argument whose conclusion contains a causal claim is known as... Question 4 options: a) A sufficient argument b) An analogical induction c) A causal argument d) A necessary condition
C
Drawing conclusions about people without sufficient reasons is known as... a) Appeal to tradition b) Appeal to common practice c) Stereotyping d) Peer pressure
C
In a disjunction, even if one of the statements is false, the whole disjunction is still... Question 8 options: a) False b) Negated c) True d) Both true and false
C
In critical thinking, an argument is... Question 9 options: a)A feud b) A set of statements that prove empirical claims beyond all doubt c) A set of statements intending to provide reasons for accepting another statement d) A set of statements attacking an opponent
C
Prejudice is... a) A traditional belief b) A judgment or opinion that no one agrees with c) A judgment or opinion based on insufficient reasons d) A belief or opinion that most people disagree with
C
The fallacy of reasoning that just because B followed A, A must have caused B is known as... Question 5 options: a) Hasty generalization b) Faulty analogy c) Post hoc, ergo propter hoc d) Representative fallacy
C
The fallacy of rejecting a claim by criticizing the person who makes it rather than the claim itself is known as... Question 10 options: a) Appeal to tradition b) Appeal to the masses c) Appeal to the person d) Appeal to emotion
C
The first step in uncovering implicit premises is to search for a credible premise that would make the argument... Question 12 options: a) Complete b) Plausible c) Valid d) Strong
C
The name of the following rule of inference is... (p → q) & (r → s) p v r ∴ q v s Question 18 options: a) Disjunctive syllogism b) Denying the consequent c) Constructive dilemma d) Destructive dilemma
C
The probability that the sample will accurately represent the target group within the margin of error is called the... Question 3 options: a) Random sample b) Margin of error c) Confidence level d) Polling bias
C
The rhetorical tactic that seeks to influence through an emotion-charged skewed definition is known as... Question 17 options: a) Euphemism b) Rhetorical equivocation c) Rhetorical definition d) The decision-point fallacy
C
The use of nonargumentative, emotive words and phrases to persuade or influence an audience is known as... Question 24 options: a) Composition b) Appeal to popularity c) Rhetoric d) Slippery slope
C
This argument—"If Einstein invented the steam engine, then he's a great scientist. Einstein did not invent the steam engine. Therefore, he is not a great scientist"—is an example of... Question 7 options: a) Denying the consequent b) Affirming the consequent c) Denying the antecedent d) Affirming the antecedent
C
Weasel words water down a claim just enough to ensure that it is technically true but... Question 2 options: a) Highly emotional b) Obviously disturbing c) Superficially misleading d) Blatantly false
C
When we regard a nonexpert as an expert, we... Question 4 options: a) Fall into the fallacy of available evidence b) Rely on the true expert c) Fall into the fallacious appeal to authority d) Certify that expert's credentials
C
You are most likely to let your self-interest get in the way of clear thinking when you... a) Try to control your emotions b) Are indifferent to your circumstances c) Have a personal stake in the conclusions you reach d) Have no commitments
C
"He supported the revolution, and he was arrested without being charged" is a... Question 10 options: a) Conditional b) Negation c) Disjunction d) Conjunction
D
A set of fundamental ideas that helps us make sense of a wide range of important issues in life is known as a(n)... a) Inference b) Prejudice c) Duty d) Worldview
D
A statement given in support of another statement is called... Question 5 options: a) A non sequitur b) A conclusion c) An indicator d) A premise
D
An assertion that something is or is not the case is known as a(n)... Question 1 options: a) Argument b) Predicate c) Premise d) Statement
D
In a conditional statement, only if introduces... Question 20 options: a) A disjunct b) The antecedent c) A conjunct d) The consequent
D
In a conditional statement, the first part is the antecedent and the second part is the... Question 6 options: a) Predicate b) Subject c) Disjunct d) Consequent
D
In a truth table for a two-variable argument, the first guide column has the following truth values... Question 13 options: a) T, F, F, F b) T, F, T, F c) F, F, T, T d) T, T, F, F
D
Inference is... Question 4 options: a) A critical formulation b) The process of inferring from conclusion to premises c) The essential ingredient in persuasion d) The process of reasoning from premises to a conclusion
D
The appeal to popularity is arguing that a claim must be true because... Question 16 options: a) A substantial number of people doubt it b) No one has proven it false c) No one has rejected it d) A substantial number of people believe it
D
The attempt to establish the conclusion of an argument by using that conclusion as a premise is known as... Question 3 options: a) Appeal to the person b) Straw man c) Red herring d) Begging the question
D
The drawing of a conclusion about a target group based on an inadequate sample size is known as... Question 2 options: a) Equivocation b) Argument from ignorance c) Begging the question d) Hasty generalization
D
The fallacy of arguing that a claim must be true merely because a substantial number of people believe it is known as... Question 22 options: a) Appeal to ignorance b) Appeal to emotion c) Appeal to tradition d) Appeal to the masses
D
The fallacy of arguing that a claim must be true merely because a substantial number of people believe it is known as.... Question 25 options: a) Appeal to ignorance b) Equivocation c) Straw man d) Appeal to the masses
D
The fallacy of asserting that there are only two alternatives to consider when there are actually more than two is called... Question 14 options: a) Straw man b) The decision-point fallacy c) Hasty generalization d) False dilemma
D
The following sentence is not a statement... Question 8 options: a) 2 + 2 = 4 b) The guest speakers were lame c) Sexual harassment should be a crime d) Determine the quality of your beliefs
D
The procedure for confirming the validity of an argument by deducing its conclusion from its premises using simple, valid argument forms is known as... Question 16 options: a) The technique of validity b) Consolidation c) The method of arguments d) The method of proof
D
The symbolization for a conditional is... Question 11 options: a) p v q b) p & q c) p*q d) p → q
D
The symbolization for denying the antecedent is... Question 19 options: a) p v q q → r ∴ p → r b) p q ∴p & q c) p v q ~p ∴ q d) p → q ~p ∴~q
D
The term we use to denote both a state of affairs and a true statement is... Question 5 options: a) Opinion b) Belief c) Argument d) Fact
D
The two most revealing indicators of an expert's reliability are... Question 7 options: a) Reputation and training b) Reputation among peers and professional accomplishments c) Education and lack of conflicts of interest d) Education and experience in making reliable judgments
D
The use of emotions as premises in an argument is known as... Question 11 options: a) An appeal to tradition b) An appeal to the masses c) An appeal to ignorance d) An appeal to emotion
D
Usually the most reasonable response to advertising is... Question 3 options: a) Rejecting all claims b) Brand loyalty c) Acceptance of the claims d) A degree of suspicion
D
We are often justified in believing a claim because... Question 9 options: a) Experts have not accepted it b) Experts disagree about it c) Most people believe it d) It comes from experts
D
The fallacy of appeal to the person is rejecting a claim by... Question 8 options: a) Using rhetoric b) Criticizing the person who makes it c) Making false statements d) Ignoring the person
b
When we begin with observations about some members of a group and then generalize about all of them, we use a kind of reasoning known as... Question 1 options: a) Causal induction b) Enumerative deduction c) Analogical induction d) Enumerative induction
b
Your background information consists of... Question 8 options: a) Numerous valid arguments b) Very-well-supported beliefs c) Both well-supported and obviously false beliefs d) Beliefs that are certain
b
In judging the reliability of news reports, we should always consider whether they... Question 1 options: a) Are long and detailed b) Conflict with what we have good reason to believe c) Support advertising policy d) Appeal to a mass audience
c
