homework3

Q1. Come up with counterexamples to show that these statements are false. If no example is possible, explain why.

(a) If X is consistent with Y, and X entails A, and Y entails B, then A is consistent with B.

(b) If X is inconsistent with Y, and Y is the negation of Z, then X is consistent with Z.

Q2. For each set of statements below, say whether it is logically consistent or not. (Yes/No) (a) I love you but you do not love me. But if you were to love me, Iwould not love you.

(b) Confucianism is inconsistent with democracy. Democracy isinconsistent with meritocracy. Confucianism is consistent withmeritocracy.

(c) The teacher says it is not the case that you may talk. If you musttalk, then of course you may talk. The teacher says you must talk.

(d) I am a careful person and I won't ever get pregnant. But somehowit just happened. It is not my fault.

Q3. For each pair of sentences, see if the first one is logically equivalent to the second. (Yes/No) (a) No human being can live forever. Nothing that can live forever isa human being.

(b) If you kill and have no defense, then you go to jail. If you kill,then you go to jail if you have no defense.

(c) It is not true that all Spartans are fighters. No Spartan is a fighter.

(d) If the world ends in 2012, then I will see you in hell. Given thatI will not see you in hell, the world will not end in 2012.

Q4. Evaluate this definition. Short answer only (less than 60 words).

A cake is a soft, sweet, food made from a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar and other ingredients.

homework2 Answer all questions. Remember that plagiarism is not tolerated. Q1. Are these statements true (T) or false (F)? No need to explain your answers. (a) An argument that has true premises and true conclusion is valid. (b) If the conclusion of a valid argument is false, then all the premises of the argument must be false. (c) If an argument is unsound but valid, then the conclusion cannot be true. (d) No inductively weak argument is a sound argument.

Q2. Give your own example of each type of argument below. If it is not possible, explain why. (a) Valid, three true premises, false conclusion. (c) Valid, two false premises, true conclusion. (d) Valid, two false premises, false conclusion. (e) Sound, four false premises, one true conclusion.

Q3. Provide invalidating counterexamples for these arguments. If it is not possible, explain why. (a) Nobody is more intelligent than John. Therefore, John is intelligent. (b) All 1st generation robots lack freewill. R2D2 does not have freewill. So R2D2 is a 1st generationrobot.

Q4. Discuss and evaluate this analogical argument. 100 words max. In some countries it is illegal to use somebody's WiFi network without permission, even if the owner has failed to protect the network with a password. But this is ridiculous. If my neighbor plays his music very loudly, I do not need permission to listen to it. So if I can access my neighbor's WiFi network from my own home, it is not wrong for me to use it. homework4 Your answers to this homework should NOT exceed two A4 pages. These questions are a bit more difficult than before so think carefully about them. Q1. Consider this dialogue as an argument: Ann: If John plagiarized, he did not plagiarize the whole assignment. Beth: He did plagiarize the whole assignment. Ann: So he did not plagiarize. Is this argument valid? Is it sound? Is there anything weird or wrong about the argument / dialogue? If so, why do you think this is the case? If not, why not?

Q2. Discuss and evaluate these three passages: (a) There is nothing wrong with being a taxi driver, a lawyer, or a teacher. You have to use your body and your brain to make other people happy. Prostitution is the same and so there is nothing wrong with it either.

(b) For any inductively strong argument with a conclusion P, the argument becomes valid when the conclusion is changed to "it is highly probable that P".

(c) All inductively strong arguments are actually deductively valid arguments with hidden premises.