Philosophy Final Exam Part 1 :)

A statement is...

(also known as a claim) is a sentence that is either true or false. Whether we can prove it to be true or false is irrelevant.

Is "In God We Trust" an example of a statement in the specified context? Context: On the U.S. dollar bill, it reads "In God We Trust." Suppose that an English-speaking foreigner who is visiting the U.S. picks up a dollar bill and begins looking it over. This is his first time seeing the dollar bill. As it happens, he is an atheist (that is, he doesn't believe in God). Hi curiousity leads him to read everything on the dollar bill, including "In God We Trust." Has he made a statement in saying this sentence? A) No B) Yes

A) No

Is the following sentence an example of a statement? (Presume a normal context of use.) "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" A) No B) Yes

A) No, commands are not statements.

Which of these claims is an example of a subjective claim? Assume a normal context of use. Assume that vagueness and ambiguity are not an issue. Select all that apply. A) People who steal from other people are wrongdoers. B) You got an A on the quiz because you believed in yourself. C) If you work hard you will make a lot of money. D) He's a very good driver, he's never gotten a ticket in his life.

A) People who steal from other people are wrongdoers.

Imagine someone saying, "By 'dog' I mean a four-legged animal that can bark." This is an example of which of the following? Select all that apply. A) a true claim about the world B) a persuasive definition (as Epstein defines it) C) a definition D) a stipulation of how one is using a word

A, D

True or false: An opinion cannot be a statement. A) True B) False

B) False

The following statement is an example of which type of claim, if any? Select all that apply. "You should vote for Kamala Harris in the presidential election (not the Green Party candidate, Jill Stein) or you'll be helping Donald Trump win." A) Definition B) Prescriptive claim C) Persuasive definition D) Descriptive claim

B) Prescriptive Claim

Context: A critical thinking class is discussing the nature of "statements" (also known as "claims"). A student raises her hand and asks to be able to write something on the white board. She is permitted to do so, and she proceeds to write the following on the board, "This sentence is not a statement." The student is offering this sentence as a counterexample to the professor's claim that all sentences that are true or false are statements. Has the student made a statement with her use of the sentence, "This sentence is not a statement"? A) No B) Yes

B) Yes

Is the following sentence an example of a statement in a normal context of use? Donald Trump will be convicted of a crime, unless he becomes president again, in which case he will either pardon himself or will direct the Department of Justice to make sure all the cases against him are dropped. A) No B) Yes

B) Yes

Is the following sentence an example of a statement? Don't worry about vagueness or ambiguity. In a past life, I believe I was a centipede. Context for the utterance: Two people are discussing their beliefs about the afterlife. The idea of reincarnation comes up and one of the individuals expresses their belief that they have had lived several past lives. They go on to say "In a past life, I believe I was a centipede." A) No B) Yes

B) Yes

Imagine two people in conversation. One of them says to the other: "A horse is like a house of cards. Wait, I don't remember the comparison, anymore. But trust me, what I said is still true, a horse is like a house of cards." As far as Epstein is concerned, this sentence is likely an example of which of the answer options below (select the best answer): A) a vague statement B) this is not a statement, because it's ambiguous and can't be disambiguated C) an ambiguous statement D) this is not a statement, because it's too vague

D) this is not a statement, because it's too vague

Which of the following sentences is an example of a definition in the material mode? Select all that apply. A) You're a dog! B) Dogs are very smart. C) By the word "dog" I mean a four-legged animal. D) Dogs are furry animals.

D, B

True or false: Prescriptive claims are not real claims because they are subjective.

False

According to Epstein, if a statement is vague then it cannot be a claim. True or False?

False because what Epstein says is that "it isn't whether a sentence is vague but whether it's too vague, given the context, for us to take it as a claim." So vague claims are possible.

Is the following sentence an example of a statement? "Broccoli is my favorite food"

Yes

Is the following sentence an example of a statement? Plants are alive, not just in the sense that the are living organisms but also in the sense that they have a soul.

Yes, because it is asserting something that is either true or false.

"When in Rome do as the Romans do" is a common saying or idiom. What it means is that it is best to follow the customs of a place you are visiting. Usually a person who says this is giving an instruction or recommendation. Is it possible for someone to use this sentence to make a claim (rather than to give an instruction)? Yes or No?

Yes.

intersubjective claim:

a subjective claim that all or most people agree with. To this I added in class that intersubjective claims are domain-specific. A claim that is widely held in one domain might not be so in other domains.

Prescriptive claims

are actual claims. They are either true or false. They might be difficult if not impossible to prove. But that's not a reason to think they are not claims. There are many things we can't prove that still amount to claims (such as that there exactly x number o galaxies in existence--let x be some really really large number that could plausibly be the right number). That we take prescriptive claims to be actual claims is evidenced by the fact that we reason about how things should be, not just about how things are.

What is the Material Mode?

defining a term by describing the properties or characteristics of the actual objects or entities the term denotes, rather than focusing on the word or linguistic usage.

An explanation of a word...

is a definion or clarification of the meaning of a word.

The meaning of a word...

is its use in the practice of speaking the language.

Understanding a word...

is the ability to use a word correctly or respond appropriately to its use by others.

A person says, "I should not be left to my own devices." Is the speaker in this example making a statement in the context below? Context: A fan of Taylor Swift is singing the following lyrics from one of her favorite songs. A) No B) Yes

A) No

The following sentence illustrates the idea that language is a practice: A) Donald Trump B) the game of chess C) the fact that people disagree about everything D) the idea of a speech act

A) Donald Trump

The main reason/s given in class (and in the professor's lecture notes) as to why a concept might be contested is/are that... A) the concept is vague and admits of borderline cases that are debatable. B) the concept is incoherent and makes no sense. C) some people find the concept objectionable or reject one of its prevailing definitions. D) the concept is ambiguous and can't be clarified.

A and B