Intro to Logic Exam 1 Baylor University
Ignoratio Elenchi
Missing the point: illustrates a special form of irrelevance. this fallacy occurs when the premises of an argument support one particular conclusion, but then a different conclusion, often vaguely related to the correct conclusion is drawn.
Validity
The impossibility of true premises and a false conclusion
Argument
a group of statements one or more of which are claimed to provide support for or reason to believe one of the other.
Fasle Dichotomy
committed when a disjunctive premise presents two unlikely alternatives as if they were the only ones available, and the arguer then eliminates the undesirable alternative leaving the desirable one as the conclusion
Weak Analogy
committed when an analogy is not strong enough to support conclusion that is drawn.
Composition
committed when the conclusion of an argument depends on the erroneous transference of an attribute from the parts of something onto the whole
Division
committed when the conclusion of an argument depends on the transference of an attribute of a whole onto its parts.
Complex Question
committed when two or more questions are asked in the guise of a single question and a single answer is then given to both of them.
hypothetical syllogism
conditional statement that uses "if" then"
unsound argument
deductive argument that is invalid, has one or more false premises, or both.
sound argument
deductive argument that is valid and has all true premises
categorical syllogism
each statement begins with "all", "no", or "some"
Red herring
fallacy committed when the arguer diverts the attention of the reader or listener by changing the subject to a different but subtly related one.
Straw Man
fallacy is committed when an arguer distorts an opponents argument for the purposive more easily attacking it by demolishing the already distorted argument and then concluding that the opponents real argument has been demolished.
Accident
fallacy occurs when a general rule is applied to a specific case it was not intended to cover
syllogistical logic
fundamental elements are terms and arguments are evaluated as good or bad depending on the arrangement of the argument
Converse Accident
hasty generalization: fallacy that affects inductive generalizations. occurs when there is a reasonable liklihood the sample is not representative of the group based on evidence that pertains to sample.
inference
reasoning process expressed by an argument
precising definition
reduces the vagueness of a word
Statement
sentence that is either true or false that is declarative in nature
antecedent
statement following the "if"
consequent
statement following the the "then"
explanandum
statement that describes the event or phenomenon to be explained
explanans
statement that purports to do the explaining
conclusions
statement that the evidence is claimed to follow from the premises
premises
statements that set forth the reasons or evidence
Invalidity
the possibility of true premises and a false conclusion.
persuasive definition
to engender a favorable or unfavorable attitude toward what is denoted by definiendum. The purpose is accomplished by assigning an emotionally charged or value laden meaning to a word while making it appear that the word really has that meaning in the language in which it is used.
lexical definition
used to report the meaning that a word has in language
Slippery Slope
variety of a false cause fallacy. occurs when the conclusion of an argument rests on an alleged chain reaction but there is not sufficient reason to think that chain reaction will not actually take place.
Petitio Principii
Begging the question- committed whenever the arguer creates the illusion that inadequate premises provide adequate support for the conclusion by leaving out possibly key premise by restating a possibly false premise as conclusion, or by reasoning in a circle.
disjunctive syllogism
an "either" "or" statement
valid deductive argument
an argument in which it is impossible for the conclusion to be false given that the premises are true
invalid deductive argument
an argument in which it is possible for the conclusion to be false given that the premises are true
weak inductive argument
an argument in which the conclusion does not follow probably from the premises, even though it is claimed to .
Argumentum ad Hominem
appeal against man. attacking a person: occurs when one of the two arguers advances a certain argument and the other responds by directing his or or her attention not to the first arguer's argument but to the person instead.
Argumentum ad Baculum
appeal to force, threat: occurs whenever an arguer threatens another person if they do no accept their conclusion.
Argumentum ad Ignorantiam
appeal to ignorance: occurs when the premises of an argument state that nothing has been proved one way or the other about something and the conclusion then makes a definite assertion about that thing.
Argumentum ad Misercordiam
appeal to pity: occurs when an arguer attempts to support a conclusion by evoking pity from audience
Argumentum ad Populum
appeal to the people: occurs when an arguer either excites an audience in order to get them to accept the proposed conclusion or when the arguer aims appeal to a specific individual
Argumentum ad Verecundiam
appeal to unqualified authority: fallacy is variety of the argument from authority and occurs when the cited authority or witness lacks credibility.
strong inductive argument
argument in which it is improbable that the conclusion be false given that the premises are true
inductive argument
argument incorporating the claim that is is improbable that conclusion is false given the premises are true.
deductive argument
argument incorporating the claim that it is impossible for the conclusion to be false given the premises are true
theoretical definition
assigns a meaning to a word by suggesting a theory that gives certain characteristics to the entities that the term denotes
stipulative definition
assigns a meaning to a word for the first time. coining a new word or giving meaning to an old word
proposition
meaning or information content of a statement
Suppressed Evidence
occurs when an important piece of evidence is ignored that obviously outweighs any other presented evidence and then jumps to the conclusion while ignoring important evidence
Amphiboly
occurs when the arguer misinterprets an ambiguous statement and then draws a conclusion based on this faulty interpretation.
Equivocation
occurs when the conclusion of an argument depends on the fact that a word or phrase is used, either explicitly or implicitly in two different senses of the argument.
False Cause
occurs whenever the link between premises and conclusion depends on some imagined casual connection that probably does not exist.
Logic
organized body of knowledge or science that evaluates arguments
modal logic
possibility, necessity, belief, and doubt