Subject: inductive&deductive;
From: towong9592@aol.com (TOWONG9592)
Date: 16 Dec 1996 07:39:34 GMT
Question#1
Distinguish between inductive and deductive argruments in terms of
the concepts of validity /invalidity, sound/unsound, strong/weak. give
example of each.
Question#2
Distinguish between independent and dependent premises in an
argument. Give an example of each. In your opinion, what is the effect
on the strength or weakness(general speaking) of an argument based on
either independent or dependent premises? Which is likely to be stronger?
Question#3
Explain the concept behind the "square of Opposition". In
particular, what does it mean to say that two categorical claims
"correspond" and how is this correspondence reflected in the "Square"?
Which category of explanation(physical, behavioral, functional) does each
of the following explanations fall under. Provide a clear definition for
each category that you use.
a) The reason chronic abusers of cocaine suffer sleeplessness is that
sustained use of the drug inhibits the body's production of serotonin, a
substance known to be important in inducing sleep.
b) That little hole is there at the front of the disk drive so that if all
else fails, you can eject a disk by poking a paper clip into it.
c) Athletes take anabolic steroids to help build muscle and stamina during
training.
Determine validity for 4 of the 5 following arguments using either the
truth table method(short or long) or the method of deduction. You must(1)
use the truth table method on at least two of the arguments below, (2)
symbolize each argument, and (3) if use the deductive method, clearly cite
the rules and line references for each step of your proof.
a) PvQ/P...>R // R...>Q
b) If curret economic policies were to put an end to recession, then the
administration would deserve a round of applause. But there can be no end
to recession without the creation of a large number of decent paying jobs.
It follows, then, that the administration is going to get a round of
applause only if a large number of decent paying jobs are created.
c) Either she took the Philosophy course, or she took the English course,
though she might have taken both. Well, she took the Philosophy course.
So, she didn't take the English course.
d) The drought will continue if we don't get a storm. If we do get a
storm, the managers of the ski area will be happy. Since either we'll get
a storm or we won't, it follows that either the drought will continue or
the ski area managers will be happy.
Using the terminology presented in class, (1) identify the relevant parts
(sample, etc..), then (2)determine the strength or weakness of the
following inductive arguments.
a) A random survey of 1,000 callers who phoned a drug hotline number
produced the following results: 535 of the callers were heavy users of
either cocaine or heroin; 220 were occasional users of occaine or hashish,
92 were not drug users at all, and the rest refused to answer the survey.
This should put to rest the claim that most people who take drugs are of
the occasional, "recreational" type.
b)counties are the "people" of international society. When people commit
crimes they are punished, and countries waging aggressive war should also
be punished as the criminals that they are.
Subject: Improve the Calendar ?
From: BillBecker@msn.com (William H. Becker)
Date: 16 Dec 96 06:50:02 -0800
Wouldn't an improved international civil calendar
be a great boon in many sectors; scheduling, communications,
better statistical comparisons, budgeting, reduced confusion,
fixed day-date relationships, etc. etc.?
With the upcoming start of a new year, new century, and new
millennium, isn't this a good time to give this issue some
attention ? I sent U.S. Vice Pres. Gore info similar to that
covered in URL listed below and in Nov. 1993 he wrote me that the
idea of an improved calendar "deserves serious consideration".
ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME ? ?
Suggest you look at ideas on Home Page for Calendar Reform at URL:
http://ecuvax.cis.ecu.edu/~pymccart/calendar-reform.html
billbecker@msn.com
