Chapter 5

Question 1

4 Acceptability of Premises

Answer 1

1. Observation
2. a priori
3. testimony
4. if premise is acceptable, sub-argument is acceptable

Question 2

7 Unacceptability of Premises

Answer 2

1. Observation
2. Testimony
3. a priori
4. weak sub-conclusion
5. problems in language (vague, ambiguity, euphemism, loaded laguage, equivocation)
6. contradicting (inconsistency between premises)
7. begging the question

Question 3

a priori statement

Answer 3

statement that can be true or false on the basis of logic and reasoning alone.

• can derive from reason alone.
  ex: all square has four sides.
  ex: no one can steal his own property.

Question 4

Testimony

Answer 4

based on personal experience or knowledge of others. We can believe their testimony is true unless:

• the claim is implausible:
• The person lacks credibility:
• The claim goes beyond what the person could possibly know from their own experience and competence:

Question 5

Observation

Answer 5

e

Question 6

Common Knowledge

Answer 6

statement which is known by most people. varies from culture, time, place etc.

Question 7

What does “a priori” mean in Latin

Answer 7

“from the first”. Knowable before experience.

Question 8

contrasting term of “a priori”

Answer 8

a posteriori. means “from something that is posterior, or afterward”. Another word for “a posteriori” is “empirical”

Question 9

false Testimony: Implausibility of claims

Answer 9

claim is too bizarre and crazy to even believe.

ex: I ate peanut butter and lost 40 pounds in 2 weeks.

Question 10

false Testimony: Unreliability of Person or Source

Answer 10

1. person is known to lie or deliberately deceive.

2. person has a flaw in them. (hearing problem, can’t rely on them for telling you how a singing concert went)

Question 11

false Testimony: Failure to Claim to Experience and Competence

Answer 11

Can’t rely on someone saying “This mcdonald’s is the best in the world.” because clearly she hasn’t visited every mcdonalds in the world.