Chapter 1 Flashcards
Logic is the study of the methods and standards of _____
Inference; evaluating inferences and learning to distinguish good from bad inferences.
Most states have passed laws that require the use of seat belts while in cars. When evaluating this regulatory act, opponents often use the argument of someone who once survived an accident because they did not wear a seat belt. Are opponents making too much of the exceptions? Also, say we ignore the opponent’s argument and we just consider that seat belts are safer, the other concept to be explored is the fact that it is safe enough to justify a law and the government requiring us to be safe?
What things might we take into account while debating the above…
A. Are we using statistics to assess this argument. If so are we making proper use of that data.
B. In the case of whether or not the govt should dictate a law for safety, is there any data or statistical evidence to help settle this argument?
Two areas of logic that can cause people to talk past each other in an argument are ____ and ____
Concepts and definitions; when each person has different meanings to the words or concepts being discussed
For example, grading student work: grading with letter grades or grading as in any form of evaluation?
_____ in this context means staying aligned with the facts, guiding our thought processes by s concern for truth
Objectivity
The essence of ______ is the ability to step back from our train of thought and examine it critically.
Objectivity
True or False: Objectivity does not require you to be neutral, nonpartisan, or indifferent to an issue
True, objectivity requires that you give a fair hearing to the evidence and arguments from the other side even if you reject them in the end. Because even if your view is right any single perspective does not reveal the whole truth. Their is something to be learned in the discussion with those of opposing views.
Nouns stand for groups (tigers, tables, etc); organizing these things into groups is called classifications and a word that stand for such a group expresses _____ what?
Concept
A concept is an idea and a word is the linguistic vehicle we use to express that idea. The class of things that a concept stands for are called_______? What?
Referents of the concepts; a single word helps refers back to the concept
A broader concept is termed_____. Thus dog and cat are both species within the ____, Animal.
Genus
The narrower concept is referred to as___. Thus cat and dog are both ____ within the genus animal.
Species
Abstract means two things in logic, 1) that a concept refers to a group of objects and not just a single thing and 2) because it groups together things that are different from one another because but yet they are _____.
Similar
True or False: the term concrete is limited to physical, tangible things
False see page 12; the term is NOT limited to physical, tangible things
True or false: the term abstract only means the intangible?
False see page 12; every concept, not just those for objects or entities, has some particular degree of abstractness, as every concept fits into some species-genus relationship.
______ is the process of sorting things into categories
Classification
The first rule of classification is that species should not overlap as they must be “mutually _____”
Mutually exclusive: each species much exclude all members of its other species
Good classification should be both mutually exclusive and ________ _________?
Jointly exhaustive
True or False: the need for a consistent principle does not require a “single” principle
True, it is appropriate to use multiple principles of classification whenever we are dealing with complex phenomena.
The second rule of classification is to use a principle based on the essential attributes of the things being classified. An essential attribute is _________?
A fundamental one, an attribute that makes a thing what it is
What are the two rules of classification?
- A single principle or set of principles should be used consistently so that the categories (species) are mutually exclusive AND jointly exhaustive
- The principle(s) should be essential as in they make the thing what it is
______ is the process of putting things together into groups on the basis of similarities
Classification
A ______ is an idea that represents classifications / the grouping of things based on similarities
Concept
The concepts of a classification are organized into hierarchies of ______ and _____
Genus and species
True or False: Every concept is abstract to some degree; a genus is less abstract than its species.
False the genus is more abstract than its species
When we subdivide genus into species we should use a consistent _______, so that the species are ______ _______ and jointly exhaustive
Principle, so that the species are mutually exclusive
