Reasoning Exam 1

Who was Socrates?

An ancient Greek philosopher known for questioning people.

What was the Oracle at Delphi?

A religious oracle in ancient Greece.

What did the Oracle at Delphi say about Socrates?

That no one was wiser than Socrates.

Why did Socrates question people?

To find out what they really knew.

What are Aristotle’s three basic operations of the mind?

Simple apprehension, judgment, and reasoning.

What does simple apprehension obtain?

Concepts.

What does judgment obtain?

Propositions.

What does reasoning obtain?

Arguments.

What is a concept?

An idea or mental understanding of something.

What is a proposition?

A statement that can be true or false.

What is an argument?

Premises used to support a conclusion.

What is the order of the three operations?

Concepts → propositions → arguments.

What is a premise?

A statement that supports the conclusion.

What is a conclusion?

The statement the premises support.

How do you find the conclusion?

Find what the argument is trying to prove.

What are common conclusion indicator words?

Therefore, thus, hence, so, consequently.

What are common premise indicator words?

Because, since, for, given that.

What is a deductive argument?

An argument where the conclusion is meant to follow necessarily.

What is an inductive argument?

An argument where the conclusion is meant to be probable.

What is the main difference between deductive and inductive?

Deductive aims for certainty; inductive aims for probability.

What word can help you remember deductive?

Must.

What word can help you remember inductive?

Probably.

What does valid mean?

If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true.

What does invalid mean?

The conclusion does not necessarily follow from the premises.

Does validity mean the premises are actually true?

No.

What makes a deductive argument sound?

It is valid and has true premises.

What makes a deductive argument unsound?

It is invalid or has at least one false premise.

Can a valid argument be unsound?

Yes, if one or more premises are false.

Can an invalid argument be sound?

No.

What does strong mean for an inductive argument?

The premises make the conclusion very likely.

What does weak mean for an inductive argument?

The premises give little support for the conclusion.

What makes an inductive argument cogent?

It is strong and has true premises.

What makes an inductive argument uncogent?

It is weak or has a false premise.

Which terms apply to deductive arguments?

Valid/invalid and sound/unsound.

Which terms apply to inductive arguments?

Strong/weak and cogent/uncogent.

What does sound equal?

Valid + true premises.

What does cogent equal?

Strong + true premises.

What are the five purposes of definitions?

Lexical, stipulative, precising, theoretical, persuasive.

What is a lexical definition?

Gives the common or normal meaning of a word.

What is a stipulative definition?

Gives a word a new or specific meaning.

What is a precising definition?

Makes a vague word more exact.

What is a theoretical definition?

Explains a term using a theory.

What is a persuasive definition?

Defines a term to influence someone's attitude.

Which definition gives the ordinary meaning?

Lexical.

Which definition creates a new meaning?

Stipulative.

Which definition makes a vague term more precise?

Precising.

Which definition uses a theory?

Theoretical.

Which definition tries to influence feelings or opinions?

Persuasive.

What is a connotative definition?

Defines something by its characteristics or qualities.

What is a denotative definition?

Defines something by the members or examples it refers to.

What is another name for connotative?

Intensional.

What is another name for denotative?

Extensional.

What is intensional?

Gives the qualities that make something part of a group.

What is extensional?

Gives the members or examples in a group.

What is the difference between intensional and extensional?

Intensional gives characteristics; extensional gives examples.

What is a genus-and-difference definition?

Gives the general class and what makes it different.

What is a subclass definition?

Defines something by placing it under a larger class.

What is a synonymous definition?

Defines a word using another word with the same meaning.

What is an operational definition?

Defines something by describing how it is measured or identified.

What three things should you check in a definition?

Grammar, essential meaning, and proper scope.

What does 'too broad' mean?

The definition includes things it should not.

What does 'too narrow' mean?

The definition leaves out things it should include.

How can you tell if a definition is too broad?

Ask, 'Does this include things that do not belong?'.

How can you tell if a definition is too narrow?

Ask, 'Does this leave out things that belong?'.

What does it mean to get the essential meaning?

The definition explains what the term really means.

Why is proper grammar important in a definition?

The definition must clearly make sense as a definition.

What kind of definitions do philosophers like Socrates look for?

Lexical, connotative, genus-and-difference definitions.

What are philosophers trying to find in a definition?

The essential meaning of the term.

Why is essential meaning important?

It tells us what truly makes something what it is.

What is the definiendum?

The term being defined.

What is the definiens?

The explanation of the term.

In 'A bachelor is an unmarried man,' what is the definiendum?

Bachelor.

In 'A bachelor is an unmarried man,' what is the definiens?

Unmarried man.

What is the difference between definiendum and definiens?

Definiendum is the word; definiens is its explanation.

Simple apprehension → ?

Concepts.

Judgment → ?

Propositions.

Reasoning → ?

Arguments.

Deductive → ?

Necessary/certain conclusion.

Inductive → ?

Probable conclusion.

Deductive → valid/invalid or strong/weak?

Valid/invalid.

Inductive → valid/invalid or strong/weak?

Strong/weak.

Deductive + valid + true premises = ?

Sound.

Inductive + strong + true premises = ?

Cogent.

Term being defined = ?

Definiendum.

Explanation of the term = ?

Definiens.