Philosophy of Religion Ch1 Quiz

Negation

(Not P; ~P)

sufficent condition

A condition for the occurrence of an event that guarantees that the event occurs. Being divisible by 4 is sufficient for being an even number.

Bi-Conditional

A shape is a rectangle if and only if the shape has four sides (P if and only if Q; P ⇔ Q)

(Constructive) dilemma

Either A or B. If A, then C. If B, then D. So, either C or D. If the sun shines tomorrow, [then] we will go to the beach. If it rains tomorrow, [then] we will go to the museum. Tomorrow the sun will shine, or it will rain [or both].

Conditionals

I will answer if he calls me (If P then Q; P ⇒ Q)

Contrapositive

If Q, then P If not q, then not p a conditional statement is true if, and only if, its (this term) is true If it is raining, then I wear my coat If I don't wear my coat then it isn't raining

Converse

If q, then p If I am a human, then I am mortal." The example of that statement is "If I am mortal, then I am a human

Inference

If someone slams the door you can suspect that they are upset (the act of moving from one proposition to another that is believed to follow from it; a step in the process of reasoning)

Conjunction

P and Q; P & Q

Disjunction

P or Q; P v Q

Entailment

The premises of a valid argument are said to entail the conclusion the sentence (A) The president was assassinated. entails (B) The president is dead

Equivalence

Two propositional formulas are logically equivalent if they mean the same thing/if they are either both true or both false/if each entails the other. P ≡ ~~P. P ⇒ Q ≡ ~Q ⇒~P

Necessary condition

a condition without which another event cannot occur Not being divisible by four is essential for being a prime number

Fallacies

a faulty argument, one that is not based on sound reasoning or logic People have been trying for centuries to prove that God exists. But no one has yet been able to prove it. Therefore, God does not exist

Counterexample

a particular case that proves that a generalization is false or a particular argument shows that the argument form is not vaild the statement "all dogs are hairy" can be proved false by finding just one hairless dog

Paradox

a persuasive argument that something, which we judge must be false, is true. Everything I say is a lie All that I know is I know nothing

Reductio ad absurdum

a proposition is proved true by proving that it is impossible for it to be false an anti-Equal Rights advocate claiming that anyone in favor of an Equal Right Amendment must be in favor of killing babies (true so can't be false)

Argument

a set of propositions in which one, the conclusion, is supported by the others, the premises

assertion

a speech act in which a proposition is presented as true or claimed to be true

Soundness

a valid argument that has all true premises. That means that the conclusion of a sound argument will always be true All beagles are dogs, Snoopy is a beagle, Snoopy is a dog

parallel argument

an argument by analogy applied to arguments. It is an analogical inference between two arguments (relation) All sharks have fins and all dolphins have fins therefore they are similar

Refutation by logical analogy

any argument whose specific form is an invalid argument form is an invalid argument. Any argument form that is not invalid must be valid. Hence an argument form is valid if and only if it has no substitution instances with true premises and a false conclusion. Ex: If Washington was assassinated, then Washington is dead. Washington is dead. Therefore Washington was assassinated.

biases

are certain pervasive thinking habits which are likely to lead to errors in reasoning, but which seem to be a very common part of human psychology Someone thinking their religion is superior to other religions

Statement

describes what guides your actions and how those actions affect your life, job and others around you

Disjunctive syllogism

if P or Q is true and not P is true, then Q is true if someone is going to study law or medicine, and does not study law, they will therefore study medicine

Inconsistency

if it would be impossible for them all to be true 2+2=5

Consistency

if it would be possible for them all to be true together: that is, if they are either in fact all true or could all have been true Grass is green. It is not the case that the moon is green. Most humans have ten fingers. Grasshoppers have six legs and dogs have four. Earth is a cube.

Contradiction

if one is true then the other one must be false I love you and I don't love you. Butch is married to Barb but Barb is not married to Butch. I know I promised to show up today, but I don't see why I should come if I don't feel like it.

Hypothetical syllogism

if p then q, if q then r, therefore if p then r If I do not wake up, then I cannot go to work. If I cannot go to work, then I will not get paid. Therefore, if I do not wake up, then I will not get paid.

Premise

in an argument, it is the proposition that supports the conclusion

Vagueness

indefiniteness, uncertainty, imprecision; not clear or specific the English adjective "tall" is thid since it is not clearly true or false for someone of middling height

Deductive validity

intended to be valid; argument is such that if the premises are true, then it is impossible that the conclusion is false. It is either valid or invalid, with no in-between. Validity is an all or-nothing property; it is not a matter of degree. Premise 1: All humans are mortal. Premise 2: Socrates is a human. Conclusion: Socrates is a mortal

Claim

is any statement or belief put forth by someone that asserts something, that has a truth-value, that says such-and-such is true (or false)

Assumptions in premise

is something that someone believes without checking to see if it is true. It has a negative connotation.

Conclusion in premise

is the statement the premises support; it indicates what the arguer is trying to prove to his audience. An argument can have only one

Ambiguity

refers to a more specific phenomenon than that of multiple permissible interpretations I got a bat as a gift today The burglar robbed the woman with the knife

parity of reasoning

showing that two arguments have similar enough structure and content so that either both should be sound or both should be unsound. This is often used to show one argument is unsound by showing it to run parallel to another, more clearly unsound argument.

Proposition

something that can either be true or false, claims to represent some fact about the world, and either it does (case is true) or it doesn't (case is false).

Antecendent

the "if" clause in a conditional statement, it specifies a sufficient condition for the consequent: so, in "If God does not exist, then everything is permitted," the proposition : "God does not exist, then everything is permitted," God does not exist is the term in this example

Consequent

the "then" clause in a conditional statement, it specifies a necessary condition for the antecedent; so, in "If God does not exist, then everything is permitted," the proposition "Everything is permitted" is this term

Modus tollens (denying the consequent)

the valid argument form If P then Q; Not-Q; therefore, Not-P. If the burglars entered by the front door, then they forced the lock, it is valid to deduce from the fact that the burglars did not force the lock that they did not enter by the front door.

Modus ponens (affirming the antecedent)

the valid argument form If P then Q; P; therefore, Q. If I get an A on this test, then I will definitely pass the class. I got an A on this test. Therefore, I will pass the class

Truth-aptness

to say that it could be uttered in some context (without its meaning being altered) and would then express a true or false proposition, capable of being true or false, unlike questions or commands