Question 1

The valid form in a conditional deductive argument is asserting the:

Accepted Answer

In a conditional deductive argument, the antecedent is the premise that establishes the condition, and the consequent is the conclusion that follows from the condition being met. Therefore, in order for the argument to be valid, the assertion of the antecedent must be logically connected to the conclusion.

Question 2

In a conditional deductive argument, the "then" part of the argument is the:

Accepted Answer

In a conditional deductive argument, the "if" part is called the antecedent and the "then" part is called the consequent. The consequent follows from the antecedent, and therefore serves as the conclusion of the argument. So the "then" part is the consequent, not the minor premise (A) or the conclusion (D).

Question 3

If a scientist studies the changes in organisms over long periods of time due to natural selection, then that scientist is taking an evolutionary approach. Dr. Steven Pinker has studied long-term changes in humans, especially the changes in their behaviors and mental processes. Therefore, Dr. Pinker has taken an evolutionary approach. The argument is sound because:

Accepted Answer

The argument presents a conditional statement, where the antecedent (studying long-term changes in organisms due to natural selection) implies the consequent (taking an evolutionary approach). The argument asserts the antecedent, making it a valid argument. However, the other answer choices do not accurately reflect the soundness of the argument.

Question 4

If the legendary Bigfoot creature exists, then people will observe it. Jon and Jim saw a Bigfoot on a camping trip to the Pacific Northwest. Therefore, Bigfoot exists. Is this argument valid?

Accepted Answer

This argument commits the fallacy of asserting the consequent. It assumes that if Bigfoot exists, then people will observe it, and since Jon and Jim observed it, therefore Bigfoot must exist. However, there could be other explanations for what they saw, such as a misidentification of a known animal or a hoax. Therefore, the observation of something does not necessarily prove its existence as there could be alternative explanations.

Question 5

When reasoning proceeds from a general rule or principle to a specific case, it is BEST described as:

Accepted Answer

This type of reasoning is known as deductive reasoning, where a general principle or rule is used to derive a specific conclusion or solution. This is the opposite of inductive reasoning, which proceeds from specific observations or examples to a generalization or hypothesis. Scientific reasoning and critical thinking are broader terms that encompass various types of reasoning and problem-solving approaches.

Question 6

Research shows that if Broca's area in the brain is damaged, then speech production will be disturbed. An elderly man named Toben was referred to a neurologist because he began mumbling and speaking in a slow, halting manner. The neurologist told Toben's family that damage to Broca's area was causing the disturbance in Toben's speech. The neurologist's conclusion is NOT sound because:

Accepted Answer

The argument involves asserting the consequent, which is a logical fallacy. The fact that Toben's speech is disturbed does not necessarily mean that Broca's area is damaged - there could be other causes for his speech difficulties. Therefore, the neurologist's conclusion cannot be considered sound based on this evidence alone.

Question 7

If a person is a psychologist, then he or she studies behavior. Dr. Albert Bandura, the author of social learning theory, is a psychologist; therefore, he studies behavior. The BEST analysis of these statements is that they:

Accepted Answer

The statements form a sound deductive argument because they follow the logical structure of a conditional statement (if-then) and affirm the consequent. The conclusion is valid and follows from the premises.

Question 8

A deductive argument expressed in "if-then" form is a(n) _____ argument.

Accepted Answer

A deductive argument expressed in "if-then" form is a conditional argument. The statements are connected with the condition that if one statement is true, then the other statement will also be true.

Question 9

If a person is a psychologist, then he or she studies behavior. Dr. Albert Bandura, the author of social learning theory, is a psychologist; therefore, he studies behavior. This conditional argument is valid because the:

Accepted Answer

This conditional argument is valid because it follows the "If A, then B" format, where A is the antecedent (a person is a psychologist) and B is the consequent (he or she studies behavior). The given statement affirms both the antecedent and the consequent, making it a valid argument.

Question 10

If Broca's area is destroyed, then speech production will be disturbed. Raoul was in a car accident that left the left frontal language area in his brain almost completely destroyed. Brain scans showed that both Broca's area and Wernicke's area were destroyed. Therefore, Raoul's speech will be disturbed. This argument is sound because:

Accepted Answer

The argument is valid because it follows the form of modus tollens (if A then B, not B, therefore not A), and all the premises are true. The premises establish that Broca's area and Wernicke's area were destroyed due to the car accident, and the conclusion logically follows that Raoul's speech will be disturbed. Additionally, it is well-established in neuroscience that damage to the left frontal language area (including Broca's area and Wernicke's area) can lead to language problems.

Question 11

If Broca's area is destroyed, then speech production will be disturbed. A speech pathologist observed that Jessica's speech was severely disturbed and she was not responding to treatment. The speech pathologist concluded that Jessica probably has brain damage in Broca's area. This conclusion is NOT sound because:

Accepted Answer

The argument involves asserting the consequent, which is a logical fallacy. Just because Broca's area is responsible for speech production does not mean that any disturbance in speech production must be due to damage in Broca's area. There could be other factors causing the disturbance, and it is possible for damage in other areas to also affect speech production.

Question 12

In a conditional deductive argument, the "if" part of the argument is the:

Accepted Answer

In a conditional deductive argument, the "if" part of the argument is called the antecedent. The antecedent is the premise that proposes a condition or hypothesis upon which a conclusion will be based. The consequent is the conclusion that follows from the antecedent. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Question 13

Based on the total time hypothesis, a cognitive psychologist predicted that if a group studies a list of words for 10 minutes and another group studies the same list for 5 minutes, then the group studying for longer will later recall more words than the group studying them less. When tested under these conditions, the group studying longer recalled more list words than the group studying them for less time, confirming the psychologist's prediction. What is the BEST analysis of these statements?

Accepted Answer

The statement presents a conditional deductive argument, as it starts with a hypothesis and predicts an outcome based on that hypothesis. The outcome is then tested and confirmed, leading to a sound conclusion.

Question 14

A sound deductive argument depends on:

Accepted Answer

A sound deductive argument requires both true premises and correct logical form. Personal experience may not necessarily provide true premises. The person making the argument agreeing with all the facts is not necessary for the argument to be sound. A valid generalization is necessary but not sufficient for a sound argument.

Question 15

Inductive reasoning is often used to:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Inductive reasoning is often used to:
...

Question 16

When Broca generalized from his observations of brain damage in "Tan" and other cases to conclude that people with damage to the left frontal region of the brain had trouble speaking, he used _____ reasoning to draw his conclusion.

Accepted Answer

Broca used inductive reasoning to draw his conclusion. Inductive reasoning involves generalizing from specific observations to broader conclusions. In this case, Broca observed multiple cases of individuals with damage to the left frontal region of the brain who had trouble speaking, and from these specific observations, he concluded that damage to this region of the brain was necessary for speech production.

Question 17

Based on modern evolutionary theory, a scientist expects that if two organisms tend to look very similar and to make their living the same way and in similar habitats, then they will likely be more closely related than two organisms that look very different and make their living in different ways. The scientist is:

Accepted Answer

The scientist is using the modern evolutionary theory to make a prediction about the relationship between the similarity of appearance and habitat preferences of two organisms and their level of closeness of relation. Therefore, the scientist is deducing a prediction from a theory.

Question 18

If someone scientifically studies behavior and mental processes, then that person is taking a psychological approach. Katya scientifically studies behavior and mental processes, so she is taking a psychological approach. Is this a valid deductive argument?

Accepted Answer

The argument follows the pattern of Modus Ponens, which involves asserting the antecedent (if P then Q) and the affirmation of the consequent (P), leading to the conclusion that Q is true. In this case, the antecedent is "If someone scientifically studies behavior and mental processes", and the affirmation of the consequent is "Katya scientifically studies behavior and mental processes", leading to the conclusion that "she is taking a psychological approach". Option C is incorrect because the argument does not claim that all psychologists study behavior. Option D is incorrect because the argument is deductive, not inductive.

Question 19

A sound _____ argument allows a person to draw a conclusion with certainty or that must be true if the premises are true.

Accepted Answer

A deductive argument is one in which the premises provide complete support for the conclusion. If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true as well. This differs from an inductive argument, which only provides support for the conclusion with varying degrees of probability. Reductive and abductive arguments are not commonly used terms in logic.

Question 20

Deductive reasoning is commonly used in science to:

Accepted Answer

Deductive reasoning involves using general principles or theories to make predictions about specific situations. In science, this is commonly used to make predictions based on scientific theories. Therefore, choice C is the best answer as it specifically mentions making predictions from theories. Choices A, B, and D are not incorrect, but they are not as closely aligned with the specific use of deductive reasoning in science.

Quiz 2: Deductive Reasoning, Prediction, and Making Assumptions