Question 1

A statistical argument argues from premises regarding a percentage of a population to a conclusion about an individual member of that population or some part of that population.

Accepted Answer

A statistical argument indeed moves from general premises about a population or a percentage of it to a conclusion about individual members or subsets of that population, often using probability or statistical inference to support the conclusion.

Question 2

A relationship in which two things are frequently found together is called _____.
A) a conjunction
B) a correlation
C) causation
D) None of the answers are correct

Accepted Answer

A correlation refers to a relationship or connection between two or more things, where changes in one thing are related to changes in another, but without implying causation.

Question 3

Arguments from analogy claim that certain similarities are evidence that there is another similarity, or other similarities.

Accepted Answer

Arguments from analogy are based on the idea that if two things are similar in some respects, they are likely to be similar in other respects as well. This form of argumentation uses the known similarities as evidence to support the claim of further similarities.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT an indicator word or phrase for an inductive argument?
A) likely
B) probably
C) chances are that
D) certainly

Accepted Answer

"Certainly" indicates a level of certainty that is not characteristic of inductive arguments, which are typically based on probability rather than certainty. Inductive arguments suggest a conclusion is likely or probable based on the premises, rather than absolutely certain.

Question 5

A weak inductive argument proves that its conclusion is false.

Accepted Answer

A weak inductive argument does not prove its conclusion is false; it merely fails to provide strong support for its conclusion.

Question 6

It's generally easier to show that something couldn't be the cause of a certain effect than it is to prove that it is.

Accepted Answer

Proving causation requires demonstrating a consistent and direct link between cause and effect, often needing extensive evidence and ruling out other factors, while disproving causation can be done by showing a single instance where the cause does not lead to the effect.

Question 7

The gambler's fallacy is committed when people believe that all lotteries are rigged.

Accepted Answer

The gambler's fallacy is the mistaken belief that if something happens more frequently than normal during a given period, it will happen less frequently in the future, or vice versa, particularly in the context of a series of independent events, like flipping a coin. It does not concern beliefs about lotteries being rigged.

Question 8

Which of the following is not a common type of inductive argument?
A) argument from analogy
B) mathematical argument
C) causal argument
D) statistical argument

Accepted Answer

Mathematical arguments are based on deductive reasoning, where conclusions are logically derived from premises and are necessarily true if the premises are true. Inductive arguments, such as arguments from analogy, causal arguments, and statistical arguments, infer a general conclusion from specific instances, and their conclusions are probable, not certain.

Question 9

_____ is the value a bet has in connection with an individual's own needs, preferences, and resources.
A) Net present value
B) Expected value
C) Relative value
D) Absolute value

Accepted Answer

Relative value assesses a bet's worth based on an individual's specific circumstances, including their needs, preferences, and available resources, making it the most context-specific measure among the options.

Question 10

A(n) _____ argument argues from premises regarding a percentage of a population to a conclusion about an individual member of that population or some part of that population.
A) extrapolative
B) sampling
C) inductive generalization
D) statistical

Accepted Answer

A statistical argument uses premises about a percentage of a population to draw conclusions about an individual member or a subset of that population.

Question 11

Inductive generalizations are based on evidence about _____.
A) None of the answers are correct
B) imagination
C) a population as a whole
D) a sample population

Accepted Answer

Inductive generalizations are made from observations of specific instances or a sample population, and then general principles or conclusions are drawn from these observations.

Question 12

Which of the following is an important indicator word for an inductive argument?
A) definitely
B) likely
C) conclusively
D) certainly

Accepted Answer

Inductive arguments are characterized by reasoning from specific instances to general conclusions, often with a degree of uncertainty. The word "likely" indicates a probability or tendency, which aligns with the nature of inductive reasoning, as it suggests a conclusion that is probable rather than certain.

Question 13

A(n) _____ is a statement made about all or most members of a group.
A) generalization
B) universalization
C) stereotype
D) categorical proposition

Accepted Answer

A generalization is a statement made about all or most members of a group.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a question we must ask in evaluating an inductive generalization?
A) Do the premises guarantee the truth of the conclusion?
B) Are the premises true?
C) Is the sample representative?
D) Is the sample large enough?

Accepted Answer

In evaluating an inductive generalization, the premises do not guarantee the truth of the conclusion; that's a characteristic of deductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning involves making generalizations based on observations, where the conclusion is likely but not guaranteed.

Question 15

The following argument is an inductive generalization: Most Wexford College juniors participate in the year-abroad program. Tess is a Wexford College junior. So, Tess probably participates in the Wexford College year-abroad program.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The following argument is an inductive generalization:...

Question 16

One or more false premises makes an inductive argument uncogent, even if its argumentation, its support for the conclusion, is strong.

Accepted Answer

An inductive argument is considered uncogent if it contains one or more false premises, regardless of the strength of the argumentation, because the truth of the premises is essential for the argument to be cogent.

Question 17

The group to which statistics apply is the _____.
A) population class
B) control class
C) reference class
D) sampling class

Accepted Answer

The term "reference class" is used to describe the group to which statistics apply, as it refers to the specific group or category that is being analyzed or referenced in statistical analysis.

Question 18

Sometimes correlation is the result of mere coincidence.

Accepted Answer

Correlation between two variables does not necessarily imply that one causes the other; sometimes, the observed association is purely coincidental or due to an underlying factor not immediately apparent.

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of epistemic probability?
A) "She has a 58 percent chance of picking the winning numbers in state lotteries."
B) "There is a good chance that I'll see my friends this weekend."
C) "There are chances that a random student will get all As in his or her first semester."
D) None of the answers are correct.

Accepted Answer

Epistemic probability expresses a degree of belief or uncertainty about a proposition based on available evidence or knowledge. Option B fits this definition as it expresses a subjective probability based on the speaker's belief about seeing their friends.

Question 20

A cogent argument has all true premises and supplies strong support for its conclusion.

Accepted Answer

A cogent argument is one where all the premises are true and the argument is strong, meaning that if the premises are true, the conclusion is likely to be true as well.

Quiz 11: Inductive Reasoning

A statistical argument argues from premises regarding a percentage of a population to a conclusion about an individual member of that population or some part of that population.

A relationship in which two things are frequently found together is called _____.

Arguments from analogy claim that certain similarities are evidence that there is another similarity, or other similarities.

Which of the following is NOT an indicator word or phrase for an inductive argument?

A weak inductive argument proves that its conclusion is false.

It's generally easier to show that something couldn't be the cause of a certain effect than it is to prove that it is.

The gambler's fallacy is committed when people believe that all lotteries are rigged.

Which of the following is not a common type of inductive argument?

_____ is the value a bet has in connection with an individual's own needs, preferences, and resources.

A(n) _____ argument argues from premises regarding a percentage of a population to a conclusion about an individual member of that population or some part of that population.

Inductive generalizations are based on evidence about _____.

Which of the following is an important indicator word for an inductive argument?

A(n) _____ is a statement made about all or most members of a group.

Which of the following is NOT a question we must ask in evaluating an inductive generalization?

The following argument is an inductive generalization: Most Wexford College juniors participate in the year-abroad program. Tess is a Wexford College junior. So, Tess probably participates in the Wexford College year-abroad program.

One or more false premises makes an inductive argument uncogent, even if its argumentation, its support for the conclusion, is strong.

The group to which statistics apply is the _____.

Sometimes correlation is the result of mere coincidence.

Which of the following is an example of epistemic probability?

A cogent argument has all true premises and supplies strong support for its conclusion.