WEEK #6: VALIDITY, STRENGTH, AND
DETERMINING WHETHER ARGUMENTS ARE INDUCTIVE ORDEDUCTIVE
ASSIGNMENT 1:
A. Determine whether the following deductive argumentsare valid or invalid.
1. New York City is either in the U.S.A. or France. But it's notin France. It follows that New York City is in France.
2. If the moon is made of green snot, then there are boogers onthe moon. The moon is made of green snot; therefore, there areboogers on the moon.
3. If a car is made by FORD, then it comes with a warranty.Corvette cars are not made by FORD. Therefore, Corvette cars do notcome with a warranty.
B. Determine whether the following inductive argumentsare strong or weak.
1. The Governor of the state of Michigan has stated that thewater supply of Flint (a city in Michigan) does not constitute amajor threat to the public health. Furthermore, his Cabinet membersagree with him on this point. Accordingly, we conclude that thewater supply of Flint (a city in Michigan) does not constitute amajor threat to the public health.
2. Two weeks after Pope Francis visited Mexico City to warnagainst the ills of drug-trafficking and violence, the citysuffered a severe earthquake. Therefore, Pope Francis caused thesevere quake in Mexico City.
3. 45 million turkeys are killed each year for Thanksgiving.Therefore, the next turkey killed is certain to be forThanksgiving.
ASSIGNMENT 2:
Determine whether the following arguments are inductive ordeductive and correspondingly valid/invalid or strong/weak.
1. Most birds can fly, and an ostrich is a bird. So,ostriches most probably can fly.
2. If the Taliban take power in Afghanistan, then they willeventually take power in all Central Asia. And, if the Taliban takepower in all Central Asia, then they will take over the rest of theworld. Thus, once the Taliban take power in Afghanistan, they willtake over the rest of the world.
3. Either Maria will earn an A in this logic course or she willearn a B, C, D, E, or I. Maria did not earn a B, C, D, E, or I. So,she must have earned an A.
