Major premise: If theory T is correct, all rich countries will be democracies.
Minor premise: All rich countries are democracies.
Conclusion: Therefore, theory T is correct.
What form (what type of categorical syllogism) does this argument take?
A) affirming the antecedent
B) denying the antecedent
C) affirming the consequent
D) denying the consequent

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The argument follows the pattern of affirming the consequent, where it assumes that if theory T is correct, then all rich countries will be democracies. It then observes that all rich countries are democracies, and therefore concludes that theory T is correct. However, this argument is invalid as there could be other reasons why all rich countries are democracies, and theory T may not necessarily be the only explanation.

Major Premise: If Theory T Is Correct, All Rich Countries