Lecture Review on Philosophy

A collection of flashcards for reviewing key concepts from a lecture on philosophy.

What does Bertrand Russell believe about the success of philosophy?

He believes that philosophy has not had much success in providing definite answers to its questions.

What is the correct instructor's name for PHIL-1010-01?

Glen Melanson.

Is the following argument valid? 'If she studied for both Wednesday and Thursday, she did well on Friday. She did well, so she must have studied.'

It is invalid; affirming the consequent does not prove the antecedent.

If an argument is valid, what can we say about its conclusion?

The conclusion has not necessarily been proven.

According to the syllabus, when is Quiz #4 scheduled?

Quiz #4 is scheduled for February 24th.

What type of inductive argument is used when inferring characteristics based on shared features?

Analogical.

What does Russell believe about man and truth?

Russell does not believe that man is the measure of all things and that truth is man-made.

If an argument is sound, what else is true about it?

It is valid and deductive.

True or False: The inability to prove that aliens don't exist supports the belief in aliens.

False; lack of proof does not indicate evidence for existence.

Can the belief of most people serve as evidence for whether something is true?

False; belief alone cannot serve as legitimate evidence.

What are we testing when we assume the premises of an argument are true?

Validity.

True or False: 'All plants that need water every day love opera. My plants need water every day; therefore, they love opera.' is invalid.

False; while not sound, it is a valid deductive argument.

Is this a false dilemma? 'Either he proposes this month or he never will.'

True; he could propose next month.

If a McDonald's restaurant is built nearby, can I prove I will buy Big Macs there using a deductive argument?

False; it would require enumerative induction.

True or False: An a priori statement relies on experience for verification.

False; an a priori proposition does not depend on experience.

How many arguments for the existence of God does Aquinas propose?

Five.