PHI 105 Self-Test 1
Is the following argument sound? Shaquille O'Neal is taller than Steve Nash. Steve Nash is taller than Tom Cruise. Therefore, Tom Cruise is shorter than Shaquille O'Neal.
Logically strong, but if you know enough about the people named in the argument to believe that the two premises are true, then you should say that the argument is sound.
Is the following argument sound? Baseball is the United States' de facto national sport. A country's official or de facto national sport is likely to be very popular in that country. Therefore, baseball is likely to be very popular in the United States.
Sound, assuming that baseball is America's de facto national sport. Otherwise it is a merely logically strong argument.
Is the following argument sound? .At this moment, I am reading a book. If I am reading a book, I must be awake. Therefore, I must be awake.
Sound. However, if you did not interpret I as referring to yourself, the correct answer would be that it is merely a logically strong argument.
Is the following argument sound? Albany is in New York. New York is in the United States. Therefore, Albany is in the United States.
Sound. However, if you did not know that Albany is in New York, or that New York is in the United States, you should have answered that it is merely a logically strong argument.
Is the following argument sound? Fez is north of Casablanca. Tangier is north of Fez. Therefore, Tangier is north of Casablanca.
Sound. However, if you did not know that both premises are true, you should have answered that it is merely a logically strong argument.
Is the following argument sound? No human being is immortal. Even the President is a human being. Therefore, the President is not immortal.
Sound. It is not necessary to know who the President is in order to know that he or she is a human being.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. You're crazy if you think you can take a full course load while working 20 hours a week and pass your semester. You should remember what happened to Van and Patti when they tried to do that last year
This is an argument. Premise 1: Last year Van and Patti both took a full course load while working 20 hours a week. Premise 2: Last year Van and Patti both failed their semesters. Conclusion: If you take a full course load while working 20 hours a week, you will fail your semester.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. My purse with several hundred dollars in cash, my watch, and my necklace have gone missing from my hotel room. The door was locked while I was out, and there's no sign of forced entry. It looks like someone on staff at this hotel is a thief.
This is an argument. Premise 1: My purse with my cash, my watch, and my necklace are missing from my hotel room. Premise 2: The door of the room was locked while I was out. Premise 3: There's no sign of forced entry into the room. Premise 4: Only someone working in the hotel could have entered the room without breaking in. Conclusion: It looks like someone on staff at the hotel stole these items.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. .Peter took the first place in the mile run at the NCAA Division III championships last year and has been training hard ever since, so he should win the championship easily this year.
This is an argument. Premise 1: Peter won the mile run at the NCAA Division III championships last year. Premise 2: He has been training hard ever since. Conclusion: He should win the Division III mile run this year.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. I will be able to visit you next month after all. The doctor just told me that a second operation won't be necessary and that I'll be able to go home this Friday
This is an argument. Premise 1: The doctor told me that a second operation won't be necessary. Premise 2: I will be able to go home this Friday. Conclusion: I will be able to visit you next month.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. The company laid off 250 assembly line workers last week. I think they were justified because their sales had declined by 23 percent in the past three months.
This is an argument. Premise: The company's sales declined by 23 percent in the last three months. Conclusion: The company was justified in laying off 250 assembly line workers.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. You should go home next weekend because you promised your parents you would.
This is an argument. Premise: You promised your parents you would go home this weekend. Conclusion: You should go home next weekend.
Is the following argument sound? The HMS Pinafore is a faster vessel than the SS Minnow. The SS Minnow is faster than the Yellow Submarine. Therefore, the Yellow Submarine is the slowest of the three vessels.
Merely logically strong. All the ships named in this passage are fictional, and it's not possible to compare how fast or slow they are in relation to each other.
Is the following argument sound? No one under the age of 18 is legally an adult. Katherine is only 15 years old. Katherine is not legally an adult.
Merely logically strong. Even if you knew that the first premise is true, since you don't know who Katherine is, it would be incorrect to say that the argument is sound
Is the following argument sound? Everybody loves a winner. The New York Yankees have won more games than any other baseball team since its inception. Therefore, everybody loves the Yankees.
Merely logically strong. First, while the second premise may be true of the New York Yankees in North American major league baseball, it may well be that there is an amateur team somewhere or a professional team outside North America that has won more games. In addition, it is not true that everybody loves a winner: some people detest winners
Is the following argument sound? Montreal is larger than Beaver Creek. Beaver Creek is larger than Vancouver. Therefore, Montreal is larger than Vancouver.
Merely logically strong. However, if you really thought that Beaver Creek is larger than Vancouver, you should have answered that it is a sound argument
Is the following argument sound? Dogs make excellent companions. Cerberus is a dog. Therefore, Cerberus is an excellent companion.
Merely logically strong. Not all dogs are excellent companions, and this claim seems to be implicit in the first premise.
Is the following argument sound? A cat makes a good house pet. A tiger is a cat. Therefore, a tiger makes a good house pet
Merely logically strong. Since the context indicates that the word cat is being used in a very broad sense, the first premise is obviously false.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. His car skidded on the ice and hit a van in the middle of the intersection. The car was a write-off, and the van suffered $3,000 in damage.
This is not an argument.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. It is obvious that no great leader ever suffered from low self-esteem
This is not an argument.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. Many people think that thunder is caused by lightning. 1is is a mistake.
This is not an argument.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. Most evenings I go for a walk after dinner. Usually, I walk to the park and back, which is about two miles, but last night I only went as far as the library.
This is not an argument.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. We drove to Pittsburgh to visit Sally in the morning, spent the afternoon in Latrobe with Onno and his family, and then stopped at Betty's for dinner in Greensburg. By the time we finally arrived in Philadelphia last night, we were happy about visiting friends but tired from all the driving.
This is not an argument.
Is this an argument? If so, identify the premise(s) and the conclusion. You should go home next weekend and have a good time with your friends.
This is not an argument.