2.5 What Is A Good Argument? (Part 2)

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| Written by Kdelapla
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Kdelapla
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Quizzes Created: 12 | Total Attempts: 21,827
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Quiz yourself on the terms and concepts you learned in this section!


Questions and Answers
  • 1. 

    If the intended audience of an argument regards the premises as implausible, then it can’t be a good argument for that audience.

    • A. 

      True

    • B. 

      False

    Correct Answer
    A. True
    Explanation
    True. It can't be a good argument for that audience. For that audience, the argument violates the Truth Condition (interpreted, remember, as a plausibility condition). For another audience the story may be different.

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  • 2. 

    If one of the premises of an argument is false, then it can’t be a good argument.

    • A. 

      True

    • B. 

      False

    Correct Answer
    B. False
    Explanation
    False. A good argument can have a false premise, it just can't have an implausible premise (for the intended audience).

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  • 3. 

    All good arguments must satisfy both the Truth Condition and the Logic Condition.

    • A. 

      True

    • B. 

      False

    Correct Answer
    A. True
    Explanation
    True. Because we defined these as necessary conditions for an argument to qualify as "good".

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  • 4. 

    If an argument is invalid, then it cannot satisfy the Truth Condition.

    • A. 

      True

    • B. 

      False

    Correct Answer
    B. False
    Explanation
    False. An invalid argument can still be strong, and therefore satisfy the Truth Condition.

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  • 5. 

    A strong argument is an invalid argument.

    • A. 

      True

    • B. 

      False

    Correct Answer
    A. True
    Explanation
    True. Strong arguments are invalid. That doesn't make them BAD arguments.

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  • 6. 

    An argument is strong if the conclusion follows from the premises with high probability.

    • A. 

      True

    • B. 

      False

    Correct Answer
    A. True
    Explanation
    True, by definition.

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  • 7. 

    1. Whales are fish. 2. Fish have gills. Therefore, whales have gills.

    • A. 

      Good argument

    • B. 

      Bad because it violates the Truth Condition

    • C. 

      Bad because it violates the Logic Condition

    Correct Answer
    B. Bad because it violates the Truth Condition
    Explanation
    (B). The logic is fine, the only problem is that the first premise is false.

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  • 8. 

    1. Whales are mammals. 2. Mammals nurse their young. Therefore, whales nurse their young.

    • A. 

      Good argument

    • B. 

      Bad because it violates the Truth Condition

    • C. 

      Bad because it violates the Logic Condition

    Correct Answer
    A. Good argument
    Explanation
    (A). All the premises are true, and the conclusion follows from the premises.

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  • 9. 

    1. Almost all human beings are born with two arms and two legs. 2. Bonzo was born with two arms and two legs. Therefore, Bonzo is a human being.

    • A. 

      Good argument

    • B. 

      Bad because it violates the Truth Condition

    • C. 

      Bad because it violates the Logic Condition

    Correct Answer
    C. Bad because it violates the Logic Condition
    Explanation
    (C) This is a weak argument (i.e. it violates the Logic Condition). Bonzo could be a chimpanzee, or any other animal that has two arms and two legs.

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  • 10. 

    1. My grandfather smoked every day of his adult life. 2. My grandfather never got lung cancer and lived to be 90 years old. Therefore, smoking does not cause lung cancer.

    • A. 

      Good argument

    • B. 

      Bad because it violates the Truth Condition

    • C. 

      Bad because it violates the Logic Condition

    Correct Answer
    C. Bad because it violates the Logic Condition
    Explanation
    (C) Even assuming the premises are true, the conclusion doesn't follow. An anecdotal sample of ONE doesn't even support a correlation, much less the causal claim expressed in the conclusion.

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