Logic: Deductive arguments ™ 37 & 38

Exercise 2.3
Determining the validity of categorical syllogisms

All of the following are categorical syllogisms. Determine whether they are
valid, and if invalid which rule is violated.

1. All Russians were revolutionaries and all anarchists were revolutionaries.

Therefore all anarchists were Russians.

Invalid - undistributed middle term (revolutionaries)

2. All perpetual motion devices are 100 percent efficient machines. All 100
percent efficient machines are machines with frictionless bearings.
Therefore some machines with frictionless bearings are perpetual motion
devices.

Valid

3. All chocolate eclairs are fattening foods, because all chocolate eclairs are
rich desserts, and some fattening foods are not rich desserts.

All C are R
All C are F.
Therefore, some F are not R.

Invalid - neg. conclusion with no neg. premise

4. No writers of lewd and sensational articles are honest and decent

citizens, but some journalists are not writers of lewd and sensational
articles; consequently some journalists are honest and decent citizens.

Invalid - 2 negative premises & neg. premise with affirmative

conclusion

5. All people who live in London drink tea, and all people who drink tea
like it. Thus all people who live in London like tea.

Valid
 Logic: Deductive arguments ™ 37 & 38

6. Some snakes are not dangerous animals, but all snakes are reptiles,
therefore some dangerous animals are not reptiles.

Some S are not D.

Some S are R.
Therefore, some D are not R.

Invalid - reptiles moves from U to D

7. The American are well-mannered, and no well-mannered people is

"alienated." (Henry Fairlie, Washington Post Service, March 28, 1976)

Missing conclusion - fill in

(All) Americans are well-mannered.

No well-mannered persons are alienated.
Therefore, no Americans are alienated.

Valid

8. All physicians are college graduates, so all members of the American

Medical Association must be college graduates.

Missing premise - All members of the AMA are physicians.

Valid

10. Man tends to increase at a greater rate than his means of subsistence;
consequently he is occasionally subject to a severe struggle for existence.
(Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man)

Rewrite: All humans tend to increase at a greater rate than their means
of subsistence.
All organisms which increase at a rate greater than their means
of subsistence are subject to a struggle for existence.
Therefore, all humans are subject to a struggle for existence.

Valid