Question 1

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism.
Anything that might indicate an increased risk of heart attack should be taken very seriously by anyone over forty. So high levels of low-density lipids in the bloodstream ought to be taken seriously by such people, because they definitely are indicators of increased risk.

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Question 2

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism.
All the networks devoted considerable attention to reporting poll results during the last election, but many of those poll results were not especially newsworthy. So the networks have to admit that some unnewsworthy items received quite a bit of their attention.

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Question 3

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism, and determine whether it is valid.
Being a mathematical prodigy is not enough to guarantee success at solving problems such as Fermat's Last Theorem, because several mathematical prodigies tried their hands at that very problem, and nobody could solve it until just a few years ago.

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Question 4

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism.
No coinsurance policies are policies that cover the full value of the property.
Some policies that cover the full value of the property are discounted policies.
So, some discounted policies are not coinsurance policies.

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Question 5

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism, and determine whether it is valid.
In this country, nothing counts except success on the job. And since traditional women's work has not counted as a "job," such work has not been properly appreciated.

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Question 6

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism, and determine whether it is valid.
God, by definition, possesses all perfections. Existence, by definition, is a perfection. Therefore God, by definition, exists.

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Question 7

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism.
Some Xs are Ys.
No Zs are Ys.
So, some Xs are not Zs.

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Question 8

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism.
No Xs are Ys.
Some Ys are not Zs.
So, some Xs are not Zs.

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Question 9

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism, and determine whether it is valid.
From a letter to the editor: "Any project that gets taxpayers' money ought to be one that the taxpayers get some sort of benefit from, don't you think? So if the Federal Aviation Authority is going to pour millions in public funds into automated flight centers at all privately owned airports, then justice can only be served by forcing those airports to begin offering services to the public as well as their current wealthy patrons."

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Question 10

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism.
Only people who have lost a job can appreciate the difficulties the loss can cause. Some of the people in this room have lost jobs in the past, so there are people in this room who can appreciate the resulting troubles.

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Question 11

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism.
All Xs are Ys.
No Ys are Zs.
So, no Xs are Zs.

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Question 12

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism; then, determine whether it is valid using either a Venn diagram or the rules of the syllogism.
Only those courses that are in the schedule will be offered. Among the courses that will not be offered is History 105, History of Europe. Therefore, History 105 is not in the schedule.

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Question 13

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism; then, determine whether it is valid using either a Venn diagram or the rules of the syllogism.
All legislatures are more influenced by the legal profession than by any other, but it is legislatures that make the rules by which the legal profession operates. So, the result is that the bodies that make the rules for the lawyers' profession are bodies most influenced by that very profession.

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Question 14

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism.
Some early Christians were rationalists.
All early Gnostics were rationalists.
So, some early Gnostics were Christians.

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Question 15

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism; then, determine whether it is valid using either a Venn diagram or the rules of the syllogism.
"Not necessarily, Mr. Dalgliesh. Suppose it's a double bluff. Suppose he's saying in effect, 'Look, I can prove I knew the Whistler was dead. Whoever killed Hilary Robarts didn't know. So why aren't you looking for someone who hadn't been told that the Whistler's body had been found?'" -P.
D.James, Devices and Desires

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Question 16

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism, and determine whether it is valid.
None of the southern provinces of Spain were outside the control of the Moors before the end of the fifteenth century. So all the provinces of Andalucia must have been within Moorish control, because all of them are southern provinces.

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Question 17

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism; then, determine whether it is valid using either a Venn diagram or the rules of the syllogism.
"No country can vote for a man as President who aims to destroy the system he heads. That's why we didn't support [Stipe] Mesic." -Borisav Jovic, former president of Yugoslavia

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Question 18

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism, and determine whether it is valid.
The new dean at Stratford Business School initiated many new policies after taking office. All of the new policies emphasized employee and customer satisfaction. After a conversation with the new dean, an associate dean remarked that since none of the policies of the old curriculum was among those initiated by the dean, the associate dean had to conclude, to his surprise, that none of the old curriculum policies emphasized employee and customer satisfaction.

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Question 19

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism.
Every vice president has an advantage over his opponent in a presidential election. Senator Junket is not a vice president, of course, so he cannot have an advantage in the coming election.

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Question 20

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism.
Everybody who exhibits hubris is an arrogant person.
Some arrogant people are not sympathetic people.
So, some people who exhibit hubris are not sympathetic people.

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Quiz 9: Capital Budgeting

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism, and determine whether it is valid. In this country, nothing counts except success on the job. And since traditional women's work has not counted as a "job," such work has not been properly appreciated.

Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism, and determine whether it is valid. God, by definition, possesses all perfections. Existence, by definition, is a perfection. Therefore God, by definition, exists.

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism. Some Xs are Ys. No Zs are Ys. So, some Xs are not Zs.

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism. No Xs are Ys. Some Ys are not Zs. So, some Xs are not Zs.

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism. All Xs are Ys. No Ys are Zs. So, no Xs are Zs.

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism. Some early Christians were rationalists. All early Gnostics were rationalists. So, some early Gnostics were Christians.

Determine whether the following argument is valid by using either the diagram method or the rules of the syllogism. Everybody who exhibits hubris is an arrogant person. Some arrogant people are not sympathetic people. So, some people who exhibit hubris are not sympathetic people.