Homework #2
Critical Thinking
Fall 2011
Due date: November 16
Chapter 8:
1. Exercise 8-2 #3
2. For the following claim, translate it into standard form (A, E, I or O,) and determine the
three corresponding standard form claims. Then, assuming the truth value of the given
claim, determine the truth values of as many of the other three corresponding claims as you
can.
Nobody gets anywhere in this town without owning a car. (true)
3. Find the claim described, and determine whether it is equivalent to the claim you began with:
Find the obverse of the only students with excessive absences are the ones with car trouble.
4. Abbreviate each category into a letter, then translate the argument into standard form using
the abbreviations. The test the argument for validity using the rules method.
Only surfers can moonwalk and moonwalkers are soul searchers so in at least some
cases soul searchers are surfers.
5. Abbreviate each category into a letter, then translate the argument into standard form using
the abbreviations. The test the argument for validity using the rules method.
Unless you are a star student, you won’t graduate from Harvard law. But most folks
graduating from Harvard law end up working on the East coast. Thus, most people
working on the east coast are stars.
Chapter 10:
1. Decide if the following is (a) an analogical argument or (b) an inductive generalization:
The birds I’ve seen around here are gulls so my guess is the birds along the coast here are all gulls
too.
a. analogical argument
b. inductive generalization
2. Decide if the following is (a) an analogical argument or (b) an inductive generalization:
I can’t wait for math class. I’m so excited about the subject. It’s so rigid and structured and
organized I find it so easy and simple. It’s a breeze. I bet I get logic easy too.
a. analogical argument
b. inductive generalization
3. For the following argument, Identify (1) the sample, (2) the target, and (3) the property in
question:
Hiking and camping have this much in common: You can’t do either one without getting chewed up
by mosquitoes. You hate hiking so you’ll hate camping too.
4. For the following argument, Identify (1) the sample, (2) the target, and (3) the property in
question:
Historically, the market goes up when the employment situation worsens and goes down when it gets
better. Right now, there is bad news on unemployment, and the latest statistics show unemployment
is getting worse. This could be a good time to buy stocks.
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Chapter 11:
1. What is the cause and what is the effect seen in the following passage:
Your Suburban is hard to start. Mine starts right up. You always use Chevron; I use
Texaco. You’d better switch to Texaco.
2. What is the cause and what is the effect seen in the following passage:
The only thing that could possibly account for Clark and his two brothers all having winning
lottery tickets is that all three had been blessed by the Reverend Dim Dome just the day
before. I’m signing up for the Reverend’s brotherhood.
3. Identify each pattern of reasoning as (a) relevant difference reasoning or (b) common thread
reasoning
Each time the car alarm goes off, she noticed the same homeless guy hanging around. She,
of course, suspects he’s responsible.
4. Identify each pattern of reasoning as (a) relevant difference reasoning or (b) common thread
reasoning
Within eleven months of September 11, 2001, eleven men connected to bioterror and germ
warfare died in strange and violent circumstances. Don’t tell me that’s coincidence!
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