HOMEWORK #1
Identify the premises and conclusion of each argument using the letters “P” and
“C”. Write the premises first and the conclusion last.
1. Titanium combines readily with oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen, all of which have an
adverse effect on its mechanical properties. As a result, titanium must be processed in
their absence.
(Illustrated World of Science Encyclopedia)
2. Poverty offers numerous benefits to the nonpoor. Antipoverty programs provide jobs
for middle-class professionals in social work, penology, and public health. Such
workers’ future advancement is tied to the continued growth of bureaucracies dependent
on the existence of poverty.
(J. John Palen, Social Problems)
Determine which of the following passages are arguments. For those that are,
identify the conclusion. For those that are not, attempt to determine the kind of
nonargument.
3. The turkey vulture is called by that name because its red featherless head resembles the
head of a wild turkey.
4. Five college students who were accused of sneaking into the Cincinnati Zoo and trying
to ride the camels pleaded no contest to criminal trespass yesterday. The students scaled
a fence to get into the zoo and then climbed another fence to get into the camel pit before
security officials caught them, zoo officials said.
(Newspaper Clipping)
5. If stem-cell research is restricted, then future cures will not materialize. If future cures
do not materialize, then people will die prematurely. Therefore, if stem-cell research is
restricted, then people will die prematurely.
Determine whether the following arguments are best interpreted as being inductive
or deductive. Also state the criteria you use in reaching your decision (i.e., the
presence of indicator words, the nature of the inferential link between premises and
conclusion, or the character or form of argumentation).
6. Amoco, Exxon, and Texaco are all listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It must be
the case that all major American oil companies are listed on the New York Stock
Exchange.
7. World-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking says that the condition of the universe at
the instant of the Big Bang was more highly ordered than it is today. In view of
Hawking’s stature in the scientific community, we should conclude that this description
of the universe is correct.
8. Because triangle A is congruent with triangle B, and triangle A is isosceles, it follows
that triangle B is isosceles.
Which of the following statements are true? Which are false?
9. Every valid argument has true premises and only true premises.
10. An argument is a set of statements, one of which, called the conclusion, is affirmed
on the basis of the others, which are called the premises.
11. A sound argument can have a false conclusion.
12. All strong arguments are cogent.
13. A weak argument has this essential feature: It is not likely that if its premises are
true, then its conclusion is true.
As best as you can determine, which of the following arguments are valid? Invalid?
Which are strong? Weak?
14. This lovely china plate is similar in size, weight, and composition to the one I just
dropped. The one I just dropped broke. So, if I drop this lovely china plate, it will break.
15. It is always wrong to kill an innocent human intentionally. A fetus is an innocent
human. So, it is always wrong to kill a fetus intentionally.
16. All wines are beverages. Chardonnay is a beverage. Therefore, chardonnay is a
wine.
17. This cash register drawer contains over 100 coins. Three coins selected at random
were found to have dates earlier than 1945. Therefore, probably all of the coins in the
drawer have dates earlier than 1945.
Determine whether the following arguments are sound or unsound or whether they
are cogent or uncogent.
18. The longest river is South America is the Amazon, and the Amazon flows through
Brazil. Therefore, the longest river in South America flows through Brazil.
19. Forty percent of students at Reed College are from the Northwest. Sally is a student
at Reed College. So, Sally is from the Northwest.
20. Coca-Cola is an extremely popular soft drink. Therefore, probably someone,
somewhere, is drinking a Coke right this minute.
GOOGLE DRIVE LINK:
Homework Instruction 1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GR3vMP_5RnxsApKRZ…
Lecture Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nIqHx6fuhPbxbDUm6…