PHIL 100 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is an argument? - Answers - A set of statements in which one or more of the
statements attempt to provide reasons or evidence for the truth of another statement.
What is the difference between arguments and non-arguments? - Answers - An
argument is a series of statements intended to logically support a claim with good
reasons (evidence). Disagreement, bickering, and antagonism are NOT part if this
definition of logical argument
What is an inference? - Answers - A set of statements whereby the premises are
offered as support for a conclusion.
What are inference indicators? - Answers - To offer an argument is to claim that certain
things are the case, and that they provide a reason for believing that something else is
the case.
Truth: - Answers - The degree of support that the premises, if true, confer on the
conclusion. This attribute applies to both deductive arguments and inductive arguments.
A good deductive argument is not only valid but is also sound.
Soundness: - Answers - Quality of an argument - To say that an argument is "sound" is
to say that that argument is valid and that all its premises are true.
What is the difference between deductive and inductive arguments? - Answers - The
difference between deductive and inductive reasoning is that deductive reasoning
involves moving from general observations to specific conclusions, while inductive
reasoning involves moving from specific observations to general explanations.
The reference theory of meaning: - Answers - A theory of language that claims that the
meaning of a word or expression lies in what it points out in the world.
The functions of language: - Answers - Investigates the nature of language, the
relations between language, language users, and the world.
What's the difference between referential and grammatical ambiguity and 'use and
mention'? - Answers - Rule states that any foreign key value (on the relation of the
many side) MUST match a primary key value in the relation of the one side.
When the grammatical structure of a sentence allows two interpretations, each of which
gives rise to a different meaning.
Analytic vs synthetic statements: - Answers - Analytic sentences tell us about logic and
about language use. Synthetic statements, are based on our sensory data and
, experience. The truth-value of a synthetic statements cannot be figured out based
solely on logic.
Descriptive vs evaluative meaning: - Answers - Evaluative adjectives tells us about
something that can be measured and compared. Descriptive adjectives tell us about
properties that cannot be measured.
What's the difference between sufficient and necessary conditions? - Answers - A
necessary condition is a condition that must be present for an event to occur. A
sufficient condition is a condition or set of conditions that will produce the event.
What are fallacies? - Answers - Is a defect in an argument that involves mistaken
reasoning; sometimes fallacies are committed purposefully, to influence or mislead the
reader or listener.
What's the difference between the deontological and the teleological approach to moral
reasoning? - Answers - A deontological approach calls for doing certain things on
principle or because they are inherently right. Teleological approach advocates for
certain kinds of actions are right because of the goodness of their consequences.
How is virtue theory different than these two theories? - Answers - Virtue ethics asks
what kind of person one should be in order to get it right all the time. Deontology and
consequentialism are based on rules that try to give us the right action, virtue ethics
makes central use of the concept of character.
What are irrational techniques of persuasion? - Answers - Committed anytime a key
term lacks a precise meaning and greater precision is necessary.
1) The logical strength of ________________ does not depend upon their specific
content, but on their form or structure
a) inductive arguments b) deductive arguments c) moral arguments d) strong arguments
- Answers - b) Deductive arguments
2) Arguments that do not provide absolute guarantees are called ____________
a) Deductive arguments b) Inferential arguments c) Sound arguments d) None of the
above - Answers - d) None of the above
From the definition of formal validity, it follows that a ________________ cannot have
true premises and a false conclusion.
a) Inductive argument b) Valid argument c) Objective argument d) None of the above -
Answers - b) Valid argument
The moral approach that maintains that the rightness or wrongness of an action is to be
determined by appeal to an objective moral principle according to which actions of that
type are right or wrong is called __________________.
a) teleological b) theological c) deontological d) ontological - Answers - c) Deontological
What is an argument? - Answers - A set of statements in which one or more of the
statements attempt to provide reasons or evidence for the truth of another statement.
What is the difference between arguments and non-arguments? - Answers - An
argument is a series of statements intended to logically support a claim with good
reasons (evidence). Disagreement, bickering, and antagonism are NOT part if this
definition of logical argument
What is an inference? - Answers - A set of statements whereby the premises are
offered as support for a conclusion.
What are inference indicators? - Answers - To offer an argument is to claim that certain
things are the case, and that they provide a reason for believing that something else is
the case.
Truth: - Answers - The degree of support that the premises, if true, confer on the
conclusion. This attribute applies to both deductive arguments and inductive arguments.
A good deductive argument is not only valid but is also sound.
Soundness: - Answers - Quality of an argument - To say that an argument is "sound" is
to say that that argument is valid and that all its premises are true.
What is the difference between deductive and inductive arguments? - Answers - The
difference between deductive and inductive reasoning is that deductive reasoning
involves moving from general observations to specific conclusions, while inductive
reasoning involves moving from specific observations to general explanations.
The reference theory of meaning: - Answers - A theory of language that claims that the
meaning of a word or expression lies in what it points out in the world.
The functions of language: - Answers - Investigates the nature of language, the
relations between language, language users, and the world.
What's the difference between referential and grammatical ambiguity and 'use and
mention'? - Answers - Rule states that any foreign key value (on the relation of the
many side) MUST match a primary key value in the relation of the one side.
When the grammatical structure of a sentence allows two interpretations, each of which
gives rise to a different meaning.
Analytic vs synthetic statements: - Answers - Analytic sentences tell us about logic and
about language use. Synthetic statements, are based on our sensory data and
, experience. The truth-value of a synthetic statements cannot be figured out based
solely on logic.
Descriptive vs evaluative meaning: - Answers - Evaluative adjectives tells us about
something that can be measured and compared. Descriptive adjectives tell us about
properties that cannot be measured.
What's the difference between sufficient and necessary conditions? - Answers - A
necessary condition is a condition that must be present for an event to occur. A
sufficient condition is a condition or set of conditions that will produce the event.
What are fallacies? - Answers - Is a defect in an argument that involves mistaken
reasoning; sometimes fallacies are committed purposefully, to influence or mislead the
reader or listener.
What's the difference between the deontological and the teleological approach to moral
reasoning? - Answers - A deontological approach calls for doing certain things on
principle or because they are inherently right. Teleological approach advocates for
certain kinds of actions are right because of the goodness of their consequences.
How is virtue theory different than these two theories? - Answers - Virtue ethics asks
what kind of person one should be in order to get it right all the time. Deontology and
consequentialism are based on rules that try to give us the right action, virtue ethics
makes central use of the concept of character.
What are irrational techniques of persuasion? - Answers - Committed anytime a key
term lacks a precise meaning and greater precision is necessary.
1) The logical strength of ________________ does not depend upon their specific
content, but on their form or structure
a) inductive arguments b) deductive arguments c) moral arguments d) strong arguments
- Answers - b) Deductive arguments
2) Arguments that do not provide absolute guarantees are called ____________
a) Deductive arguments b) Inferential arguments c) Sound arguments d) None of the
above - Answers - d) None of the above
From the definition of formal validity, it follows that a ________________ cannot have
true premises and a false conclusion.
a) Inductive argument b) Valid argument c) Objective argument d) None of the above -
Answers - b) Valid argument
The moral approach that maintains that the rightness or wrongness of an action is to be
determined by appeal to an objective moral principle according to which actions of that
type are right or wrong is called __________________.
a) teleological b) theological c) deontological d) ontological - Answers - c) Deontological
