1. Correct. You answered: a. We should never take our friends for granted..

In the following argument, identify the conclusion.

We should never take our friends for granted. True friends are there when we need them.
They suffer with us when we fail, and they are happy when we succeed.

The correct answer was: a. We should never take our friends for granted..

References: Although there are no indicator words, the first statement is the
conclusion, the point of the passage, for which the other statements offer support.
This question is number 5 in the book.

2. Incorrect. You answered: b. He was beaten in a chess tournament by a computer

program called Deep Blue..

In the following argument, identify the conclusion.

At one time Gary Kasparov had the highest ranking of any chess grand master in history.
However, he was beaten in a chess tournament by a computer program called Deep Blue,
so the computer program should be given a ranking higher than Kasparov.

The correct answer was: c. The computer program should be given a ranking higher than
Kasparov..

References: The indicator word “so” identifies the conclusion. The other statements
are offered as support. This question is number 9 in the book.

3. Correct. You answered: a. The world will end on August 6, 2045..

In the following argument, identify the conclusion.

The world will end on August 6, 2045. I know this because my guru said it would, and so
far everything he predicted has happened exactly as he said it would.

The correct answer was: a. The world will end on August 6, 2045..

References: The indicator word “because” identifies the premises, so the first
statement is the conclusion. This question is number 13 in the book.
Home
Chapter 1
Chapter Summary
Chapter Guide
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Video Tutorials
Self-Quizzes
Pre-Chapter Self-Quiz
1.B.1 Topic: Recognizing Arguments
1.B.2 Topic: Recognizing Arguments
1.C. Topic: Arguments and Explanations
1.E. Topic: Deductive and Inductive Arguments
1.F. Topic: Validity and Counterexamples
1.G. Topic: Inductive Arguments
Post-Chapter Self-Quiz
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
 
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Higher Education Comment Card

1.B.2 Topic: Recognizing Arguments - Results

You answered 6 out of 12 questions correctly, for a score of 50%.

1. Incorrect. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

She doesn’t eat pork, chicken, beef, mutton, veal, venison, turkey, or fish. It follows that
she must be a vegetarian.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The phrase “It follows that” identifies the conclusion “she must be a
vegetarian.” This question is number 5 in the book.

2. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

She won the lottery, so she will quit her job soon.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The premise “She won the lottery” is offered as a reason to conclude
that “she will quit her job soon.” This question is number 9 in the book.

3. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

The officer shook his head, perplexed. The handprint on the wall had not been made by
the librarian himself; there hadn’t been blood on his hands. Besides, the print did not
match his, and it was a strange print, the whorls of the fingers unusually worn. It would
have been easy to match, except that they’d never recorded one like it.
– Elizabeth Kostrova, The Historian

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The conclusion is “The handprint on the wall had not been made by the
librarian himself.” The premises are “there hadn’t been blood on his hands” and
 “the print did not match his [the librarian’s].” This question is number 13 in the
book.

4. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

The idea that space and time may form a closed surface without boundary also has
profound implications for the role of God in the affairs of the universe. So long as the
universe had a beginning, we could suppose it had a creator. But if the universe is really
completely self-contained, having no boundary or edge, it would have neither beginning
nor end; it would simply be. What place, then, for a creator?
– Stephen W. Hawking, A Brief History of Time

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The first statement, “The idea that space and time may form a closed
surface without boundary also has profound implications for the role of God in the
affairs of the universe,” sets up the goal of the passage. The implied conclusion is
that the universe does not need a creator. The word “so” is not used as a conclusion
indicator here; instead it forms part of the premises: “So long as the universe had a
beginning, we could suppose it had a creator. But if the universe is really completely
self-contained, having no boundary or edge, it would have neither beginning nor
end; it would simply be.” This question is number 17 in the book.

5. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed editions, all of which are
confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we
do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
– Project Gutenberg website

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The conclusion (as indicated by the word “Thus”) is “we do not
necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.” This
question is number 21 in the book.

6. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Authoritarian governments are identified by ready government access to information

about the activities of citizens and by extensive limitations on the ability of citizens to
 obtain information about the government. In contrast, democratic governments are
marked by significant restrictions on the ability of government to acquire information
about its citizens and by ready access by citizens to information about the activities of
government.
– Robert G. Vaughn, “Transparency—The Mechanisms”

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: The passage provides a definition of “authoritarian governments” and a

definition of “democratic governments.” Although there is no direct conclusion, the
author’s choice of definitions indicates his point of view. This question is number 25
in the book.

7. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

The greatest tragedy in mankind’s entire history may be the hijacking of morality by
religion.
– Arthur C. Clarke, Collected Essays

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: This is a claim, but no reasons are given to show it is true. This question
is number 29 in the book.

8. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

The most important thing in an argument, next to being right, is to leave an escape hatch
for your opponent, so that he can gracefully swing over to your side without too much
apparent loss of face.
– Sydney J. Harris, as quoted in Journeys 7

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: The “so” in this passage is specifying the use for the escape hatch, not a
conclusion. The speaker is not trying to prove that “he gracefully can swing over to
your side.” This question is number 33 in the book.

9. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

 For nothing requires a greater effort of thought than arguments to justify the rule of non-
thought. I experienced it with my own eyes and ears after the war, when intellectuals and
artists rushed like a herd of cattle into the Communist Party, which soon proceeded to
liquidate them systematically and with great pleasure. You are doing the same. You are
the brilliant ally of your own gravediggers.
– Milan Kundera, Immortality

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: The first statement, “The idea that space and time may form a closed
surface without boundary also has profound implications for the role of God in the
affairs of the universe,” sets up the goal of the passage. The implied conclusion is
that the universe does not need a creator. The word “so” is not used as a conclusion
indicator here; instead it forms part of the premises: “So long as the universe had a
beginning, we could suppose it had a creator. But if the universe is really completely
self-contained, having no boundary or edge, it would have neither beginning nor
end; it would simply be.” This question is number 37 in the book.

10. Correct. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

The only people who really listen to an argument are the neighbors.

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: The conclusion is “The handprint on the wall had not been made by the
librarian himself.” The premises are “there hadn’t been blood on his hands” and
“the print did not match his [the librarian’s].” This question is number 41 in the
book.

11. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

The National Biosafety Board has approved the release of genetically modified
mosquitoes for field testing. This particular type of mosquito can spread the dengue fever
and yellow fever viruses. Clinical trial at the laboratory level was successful and the
biosafety committee has approved it for testing in a controlled environment. The males
would be genetically modified and when mated with female mosquitoes in the
environment, it is hoped the killer genes would cause the larvae to die. The regional
director cautioned that care be taken in introducing a new species to the environment.
– Newspaper article, “Field Testing Approved for Genetically Modified Mosquitoes”

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

 References: This is reporting what the Board has done, and describing the mosquito
and their hopes for it, but no claims are used to support others, so this is not an
argument. This question is number 45 in the book.

12. Correct. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Even though testing in horse racing is far superior in many respects to testing in human
athletics, the concern remains among horse racing fans and industry participants that
medication is being used illegally.
– Dr. Scott Palmer, “Working in the Light of Day”

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: This is just a single proposition (that the concern remains).  Adding a
qualifier (“even though”) is not giving a premise to show it is true. This question is
number 49 in the book.

 
1.C. Topic: Arguments and Explanations - Results

1. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

Many independent candidates won recent elections, even beating out strong incumbents.
It must be because voters are disappointed with the two-party system.

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

References: The first statement establishes that something has already occurred.
The statement “It must be because voters are disappointed with the two-party
system” is offered as an explanation of the fact. This question is number 5 in the
book.

2. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

Welcome to the fall of Les Miles. That sentence is all about context—because I mean fall
as a season, not as a drop from grace.
– Bruce Feldman, “Les Miles Is on a Heck of a Run,” ESPN

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

 References: In this context, the word “because” indicates an explanation of what the
author means by the term “fall.” This question is number 9 in the book.

3. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

To make Windows Phone 7 a success, Microsoft has to win over not just phone
manufacturers and phone companies, but software developers. The iPhone and Android
are popular in part because of the tens of thousands of tiny applications, or “apps,” made
by outside software developers.
– Newspaper article, “Microsoft Bets Big on New Phone Software”

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

References: The information is offered to explain why “the iPhone and Android are
popular.” It is not clear if the speaker is also trying to support the truth of the first
sentence with the second. If it were, that would be an argument. This question is
number 13 in the book.

4. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

Years ago I used to think sometimes of making a lecturing trip through the antipodes and
the borders of the Orient, but always gave up the idea, partly because of the great length
of the journey and partly because my wife could not well manage to go with me.
– Mark Twain, How to Tell a Story, and Other Essays

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

1.E. Topic: Deductive and Inductive Arguments - Results
You answered 3 out of 4 questions correctly, for a score of 75%.

1. Correct. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

All fires need oxygen. There is no oxygen in that room. So there is no fire in that room.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: The first premise tells us something about all fires. If both premises are
assumed to be true, then the conclusion is necessarily true. This question is number
5 in the book.

2. Incorrect. You answered: b. Inductive.

 Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

All elements with atomic weights greater than 64 are metals. Z is an element with an
atomic weight of 79. Therefore, Z is a metal.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: The first premise tells us something about all elements with atomic

weights greater than 64. If both premises are assumed to be true, then the
conclusion is necessarily true. This question is number 9 in the book.

3. Correct. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

 Anyone over 21 years of age can legally play the slot machines in Las Vegas. Sam is 33
years old. Sam can legally play the slot machines in Las Vegas.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: The first premise specifies the minimum age when someone can legally
play the slot machines in Las Vegas. The second premise tells us Sam is 33 years old.
If both premises are true, then the conclusion is necessarily true. This question is
number 13 in the book.

4. Correct. You answered: b. Inductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

Most Doberman dogs bark a lot. My cousin just got a Doberman dog. Therefore, my
cousin’s Doberman dog will probably bark a lot.

The correct answer was: b. Inductive.

1.F. Topic: Validity and Counterexamples - Results

You answered 1 out of 4 questions correctly, for a score of 25%.

1. Incorrect. You answered: a. All C are E. All E are A. So, all C are A.  Let C= cats, E =
mammals, and A = dogs..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which
substitutions create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

All computers are electronic devices. All things that require an AC adapter are electronic
devices. Therefore, all computers are things that require an AC adapter.

The correct answer was: b. All C are E. All A are E. So, all C are A.  Let C= cats, E =
mammals, and A = dogs..

References: Only in choice “b” are both premises true and the conclusion false.
Therefore, the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid.  Choices A and C
do not model the argument form correctly.  In choice “d,” the counterexample does
not have a false conclusion. This question is number 5 in the book.

2. Incorrect. You answered: b. No U are I. No C are I. So, no U are C. Let U = umbrellas, I

= icebergs, and C = cats..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which
substitutions create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.
 No unicorns are immortal creatures. No centaurs are immortal creatures. It follows that
no unicorns are centaurs.

The correct answer was: d. No U are I. No C are I. So, no U are C. Let U = cats, I =
snakes, and C = mammals..

References: In choice “d,” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false.
Therefore, the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices A and C
incorrectly model the argument form.  Choice B does not show the conclusion false
with true premises. This question is number 9 in the book.

3. Correct. You answered: c. Fidelix was born in 1981. Gil was born in 1980. Thus, Fidelix
was born before Gil..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which
substitutions create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

Fidelix was born before 1990. Gil was born before 1991. Thus, Fidelix was born before
Gil.

The correct answer was: c. Fidelix was born in 1981. Gil was born in 1980. Thus, Fidelix
was born before Gil..

References: Only in choice “c” are both premises true and the conclusion false.
Therefore, it is the only counterexample that shows that the argument is invalid.
This question is number 13 in the book.

4. Incorrect. You answered: d. All S are F. All P are F. So, all S are P. Let S = puppies, F =
mammals, and P = dogs..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which
substitutions create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

All strawberries are fruit. All strawberries are plants. It follows that all fruit are plants.

The correct answer was: a. All S are F. All S are P. So, all F are P. Let S = puppies, F =
mammals, and P = dogs..

1.G. Topic: Inductive Arguments - Results

You answered 0 out of 2 questions correctly, for a score of 0%.

1. Incorrect. You answered: a. Strong.

Is the following inductive argument strong or weak?

 Shane tossed a coin ten times, and in each case it came up heads. Therefore, the next toss
will be heads.

The correct answer was: b. Weak.

References: That it came up heads ten times in a row has no bearing on the next
toss; each coin toss is an independent event, each having a 50-50 chance of heads or
tails. This question is number 5 in the book.

2. Incorrect. You answered: b. Weak.

Is the following inductive argument strong or weak?

Most fruit have seeds. I am eating an orange, so I am eating something with seeds.

The correct answer was: a. Strong.

1. Incorrect. You answered: c. There is a substantial profit incentive to bet against

manipulators..

In the following argument, identify the main conclusion.

As with markets in general, it is possible to try to manipulate prediction markets. For

example, traders may attempt to lower the price of a stock by short selling, or spreading
negative rumors about a stock. However, because there is a substantial profit incentive to
 bet against such manipulators, this sort of manipulation is unlikely to be effective in the
long run.

The correct answer was: d. Manipulation of prediction markets is unlikely to be effective

in the long run..

References: “Because” is the premise indicator that leads to the conclusion.

2. Incorrect. You answered: b. They weren’t in the path of immediate radiation..

In the following argument, identify the main conclusion.

The men under the explosion were actually in a relatively safe position. The bomb had a
small yield, at least by nuclear standards, and it was 18,000 feet above them. They
weren’t directly in the path of the radiation, and because it was small and far away it
wouldn’t have produced much radioactive dust. The worst radioactive material would
take a while to drift down, and when it did it would have been diffuse.

The correct answer was: a. Those guys were actually in a relatively safe position..

References: Though there are no indicator words, the whole passage supports the
first sentence.

3. Incorrect. You answered: a. We need to bring the teenager to the phone store..

In the following argument, identify the main conclusion.

We need to bring our oldest, the teenager, to the phone store, since he can give us helpful
advice about shopping for the best phone. And if he’s coming with us, then we can’t
leave the baby at home with his young siblings. And both parents have to come to the
store, since one of us is the authorized name on the account and has to be there to give
permission for any changes to the account, and the other is the one shopping for a new
phone. So the baby has to come to the phone store too.

The correct answer was: d. The baby has to come to the phone store..

References: Though there are subconclusions, the final conclusion is marked by the
indicator “so.”

4. Incorrect. You answered: c. Hegel can be interpreted in wildly contrary ways..

Identify the conclusion in the following argument.

While the 19th-century British idealists read Hegel as an arch-metaphysician of the

Absolute, modern Hegelians interpret their idol as a modest pragmatist, resolving
metaphysical arguments in the practices of post-Wittgensteinian forms of life. That Hegel
 can be interpreted in such wildly contrary ways shows that his works are so obscurely
written as to be worthless, since they are evidently elastic enough to fit any sort of
philosophical agenda.

The correct answer was: d. Hegel’s works are so obscurely written as to be worthless..

References: The word “since” is the indicator word showing a premise, and
immediately preceding the “since” is the conclusion. The first sentence supports this
conclusion by pointing out how Hegel is interpreted in varying ways.

5. Incorrect. You answered: b. I’ve written the equivalent of a lengthy research paper on

these dogs..

Identify the conclusion in the following argument.

I’ve sifted through almost every discussion in online dog breeder forums and have read
so much that it’s starting to blur. I’ve written academic papers that required less research
than I’ve done about these dogs. The more I read, the more convinced I am that an
Alaskan Spitz would be the perfect companion. He and my other dog can get carsick
together. The pictures and videos make me squeal with delight.

The correct answer was: c. An Alaskan Spitz would be the perfect companion..

References: While there are no obvious indicator words, the phrase “the more
convinced I am that” indicates that what follows is a proposition the speaker is
convinced of on the basis of other reasons. Choice “c” is the closest equivalent.

6. Incorrect. You answered: d. The law of justice will be violated which ordains that each
man shall have his due..

Identify the conclusion in the following argument.

The interests of all, whether high or low, are equal. The members of the working classes
are citizens by nature and by the same right as the rich; they are real parts, living the life
which makes up, through the family, the body of the commonwealth . . . therefore the
public administration must duly and solicitously provide for the welfare and the comfort
of the working classes; otherwise, that law of justice will be violated which ordains that
each man shall have his due.
– Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum

The correct answer was: c. Public administration must duly and solicitously provide for
the welfare and comfort of the working classes..

References: The indicator word “therefore” identifies the conclusion. The rest of the
choices are premises.
7. Correct. You answered: c. You need to rewrite this whole story..

Identify the conclusion in the following argument.

My character would never betray his old friend and superior officer. This plot twist is
cheap and contrived. You need to rewrite this whole story, because if this goes on, I’m
going to quit the show.

The correct answer was: c. You need to rewrite this whole story..

References: The indicator word “because” is the best clue to the overall point of the
passage.

8. Incorrect. You answered: a. Wild hogs often damage new plants and cause soil erosion..

Identify the conclusion in the following argument.

Wild hogs often damage newly planted seedlings and food crops by rooting, and that also
causes soil erosion. In addition, hogs compete with other animals that also forage, usually
crowding them out. Lastly, hogs are vectors for diseases communicable to humans and
livestock. Farmers should always take vigorous action to reduce wild hog populations
near their land.

The correct answer was: d. Farmers should take vigorous action to reduce wild hog
populations near their land..

References: Although there are no indicator words, the last statement is the
conclusion, the point of the passage, for which the other statements offer support.

9. Incorrect. You answered: c. Political culture in the U.S. is more divisive than ever..

In the following argument, identify the main conclusion.

There will never be a fifth face added to Mount Rushmore. People are used to it as it is.
Moreover, political culture in the U.S. is more divisive than ever, so no one will be able
to agree on whom to add.

The correct answer was: a. There will never be a fifth face added to Mount Rushmore..

References: The “so” in the last sentence introduces a subconclusion, but that in
turn is being offered as support for the first sentence.

10. Incorrect. You answered: a. My phone isn’t an Apple..

Identify the conclusion in the following argument.

 My phone isn’t an Apple, and it’s not a Galaxy III, and those are the only phones that
have state-of-the-art voice recognition personal assistant programs. So I can’t just ask my
phone to find stuff for me.

The correct answer was: d. I can’t just ask my phone to find stuff for me..

References: The indicator word “so” helps identify the conclusion. The other
statements are offered in support of this claim.

You answered 16 out of 30 questions correctly, for a score of 53.333%.

1. Incorrect. You did not provide an answer.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Organisms in small populations have no mechanism for purging mutations that have no
effect on fitness, or are only slightly negative. So bits of genomic material that do not
code for RNA transcription will accumulate over the generations. In a small population,
these individual bits of such useless genomic material will have very little or no effect on
fitness, and so will not be selected against. Given such demonstrably true claims, it
follows that eventually the descendants of such organisms will have a genome rife with
junk RNA.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: This is an attempt to deduce a conclusion from premises the author

takes as givens.

2. Correct. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Look here Vita—throw over your man, and we’ll go to Hampton Court and dine on the
river together and walk in the garden in the moonlight and come home late and have a
bottle of wine and get tipsy, and I’ll tell you all the things I have in my head, millions,
myriads—They won’t stir by day, only by dark on the river. Think of that. Throw over
your man, I say, and come.
– From a letter by Virginia Woolf
 The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: While Woolf is definitely trying to convince Sackville-West to “throw

over [her] man,” describing what they will do together does not give premises to
establish the truth of a conclusion. Spinning an enticement is not necessarily an
argument.

3. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

If he is a top executive he lives on an economic scale not too different from that of the
man on the next-lower income rung. He surrenders around 40 per cent of his salary to the
Bureau of Internal Revenue (he may cough up as much as 75 per cent) but still manages
to put a little of his income in stocks, bonds, life insurance.
– Fortune Magazine, 1955

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: The passage is a description of a top executive.

4. Incorrect. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Knowledge is held to be successful cognition, the result of reflective processes

characterized by careful thinking and explicit defense of claims via reasoned argument.
For something to count as a reason, a thinker must (also) have reason to believe it is true.
This straightforwardly implies that knowledge must be based in infinite series of
justification.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The conclusion is the last sentence, as indicated by the introductory

phrase “this straightforwardly implies that . . . ”

5. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Although he began as a figure of unalloyed patriotism in the comic books of World War
II, since his revival in the mid-1960s, Captain America has more often than not been a
vehicle of critical reflection on the American Dream. Nowhere is this tendency clearer
than in his post-9/11 characterization.

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

 References: No reasons are given to support either claim, so this is not an argument.

6. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

In retrospect, it seems like a mistake to have built two branch libraries in the suburbs.
While they may have seemed like good ideas in a booming economy 15 years ago, in the
current recession it is a wasteful dispersion of limited public resources.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The conclusion is in the first sentence, while a premise is in the second.

7. Incorrect. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Several thousand kanji are in regular use, while the two syllabaries each contain forty-
eight basic characters. Almost all Japanese sentences contain both kanji and hiragana,
while some additionally use katakana. Because of this mixture of scripts, in addition to a
large inventory of kanji characters, the Japanese writing system is often considered to be
the most complicated in use anywhere in the world.
– Adapted from “Japanese Writing System,” Wikipedia

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The word “because” indicates premises being used to support a

conclusion.

8. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Dementors are just knock-offs of Tolkien’s Ringwraiths. They are both hooded, shadowy
creatures of evil and darkness. They both generate intense, unreasoning fear when they
draw near. They both have the ability to drain a person’s mind and render them soulless.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The conclusion is the first sentence; everything else supports that.

9. Incorrect. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

 Those pants have pinstripes. That shirt has horizontal bars. The shirt is purple, the pants
are pink. They definitely do not go together.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: No indicator words, but the first three sentences make sense as reasons
for the last sentence.

10. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Though computers can perform remarkably complex operations, and respond to

unforeseen environmental changes and inputs, we remain stubbornly reluctant to attribute
any sort of agency to them. Often, when you ask someone why a computer couldn’t
think, some variation on computers lacking free will is invoked. But since it is not clear
that we have free will either, that is not a good refutation of the possibility of artificial
intelligence.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The conclusion is that saying computers lack free will is not a good
refutation of the possibility of artificial intelligence. The premise is “it is not clear
that we have free will.”

11. Correct. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Molecules in liquids and solids are packed fairly tightly—but not perfectly so, because
molecules have somewhat irregular shapes.  Pressure can change that molecular shape
and so compress that space.  But after the space between molecules is lost, there’s only
intra-atomic space to compress. Coulomb repulsion between the electron clouds and the
nucleus provides massive resistance to any further pressure, which is why liquids do not
compress very much.

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: This is an explanation rather than an argument.

12. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

For galley kitchens, keeping a triangular arrangement between the sink, fridge, and stove
is hard as appliances will be lined in a row. The best solution in such a setup is to place
 the sink between the fridge and the stove. That way, the tallest appliances will be at either
end of the countertop, making a less cluttered space.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: This passage gives reasons for the conclusion, “in a galley kitchen, the
sink should be placed between the fridge and the stove.”

13. Incorrect. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

I’ll pit my strength against your brains any day, weakling. You don’t stand a chance
against me. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten that I wield the Penultimate Nullifier.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: While this may seem like mere bragging or threatening, the premise is,
“I wield the Penultimate Nullifier,” and the conclusion is, “You don’t stand a chance
against me.”

14. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

If that hairbrush made any contact with his hair, it must have been through occult powers.
You know what his hair looks like. There’s no way he brushed it.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The conclusion is that he has not brushed his hair.

15. Incorrect. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

He already has a lead of twenty minutes, and there are only three legs of the race left to
complete. It’s all downhill and it’ll be next to impossible to narrow the gap by much
more than 5 or so minutes. So unless something freakish happens, he’s sure to win the
race.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The conclusion is indicated by the word “so.” The preceding part of the
passage contains the premises.
16. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

After spending a week traveling on business out of the country, I’m going to get home
and spend some time at the park with my kids. My spouse deserves a break and I miss the
kids.

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: This is an explanation, as we have no reason to suppose the speaker is

trying to prove that he is going to get home and spend time at the park with his
children.

17. Correct. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

What will I have? Let’s see, the raspberry brandy sounds good. I think I’ll have that.

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: Expressing a preference is not an argument. No reasons are given.

18. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

I find it unfortunate that the President framed the movie theater shooting as a result of
“evil.” Metaphysical concepts don’t kill; human beings with mental problems and easy
access to assault weapons do.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: While there are no indicator words, the speaker clearly rejects the
President’s using the word “evil”, and gives two reasons why in the last sentence.

19. Incorrect. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

If there was any significant amount of bleach in the water, I’d feel it on my fingertips.
And this washcloth would lose some color. So, no, I don’t think there is any bleach in
here.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

 References: The conclusion is indicated by the “so”. The first two sentences are
premises.

20. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

There’s still lots of ink inside the barrel of the pen—I can see it since the barrel is
transparent. But when I use it, no ink at all comes out. So there must be something
broken, or the ink has dried up or clogged.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The conclusion is the last sentence. The rest of the passage contains
reasons offered in support of this claim.

21. Incorrect. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

I swear it must have been the baby. The baby likes to play with coins. No one else does.
And he can reach the drawer where they’re kept.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The speaker is trying to convince us that the baby took out or otherwise
did something with the coins. All the claims after the first sentence are premises.

22. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Using recorders hidden in handbags, the researchers took note of what female clubbers
were wearing and how many times they were approached by men asking them to dance.
For the purposes of the study, each arm accounted for 10% of the body, each leg for 15%
and the torso for 50%. Women who revealed around 40% of their skin attracted twice as
many men as those who covered up. However, those who exposed any more than this
also fared worse.
– The Telegraph, “Women Should Bare 40% of Their Bodies to Attract Men”

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: This passage describes an experiment and its findings, but it does not
give premises to support a conclusion.

23. Correct. You answered: b. No argument.

 Does the following passage contain an argument?

Insurance companies routinely review a patient’s medical history once they are diagnosed
with serious illnesses such as cancer. And in most states, insurers can retroactively cancel
a patient’s policy if any pre-existing condition was missed, even if the patient was not
aware of it at the time. Over a 5-year period, the three largest insurers had 20,000 such
cancellations (“rescissions”), costing the patients a total of $300 million.

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: The passage describes something insurance companies do, how often
they do so, and how much it costs, but does not use any of these statements to
support some other statement or each other.

24. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Only when we stop being the person we have invented can we find the freedom to be
who we are.

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: This is vague encouragement to be more honest in our presentation of

who we are, but it gives no reasons to do so.

25. Correct. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Vocoders transform speech into electronically transmissible information. They were

originally developed to encode speech for secure radio transmission, but they came to be
used extensively in pop music.

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: The statements do not act as either premises or conclusions; they simply
convey information.

26. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

An unattended house would inevitably fall apart, for water would eventually seep into the
roof at the flashings, eroding the wood and rusting the nails. This would in turn cause the
walls to sag and eventually collapse altogether.
 The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: In this passage, “for” acts as a premise indicator. Reasons are given to
show why an unattended house would inevitably fall apart.

27. Correct. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

Doves are found in a variety of environments and climates. They prefer habitats where
wooded areas meet with open areas, such as suburban areas and roadsides. They can
survive well alongside human populations, often roosting on telephone poles and other
manmade structures.

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: The passage describes doves but does not attempt to prove these claims
by giving reasons.

28. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

You can take the long hike up, or take the tram to the top. Alternately, you could drive up
the road, though that wouldn’t be as scenic as a hike or as fast as the tram.

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: The speaker gives alternatives and discusses the drawbacks of driving,
but doesn’t clearly attempt to establish which alternative should be chosen.

29. Correct. You answered: b. No argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

In 1923, the first Kressel’s Olde-Time Bakery opened in San Mateo, California. The
bakery was decorated with elaborate Byzantine-style mosaics, in tribute to the founders’
Greek heritage and love of history. Soon locals associated the vaulting Romanesque
architecture with delicious, healthy baked goods. This commitment to excellence has
become a Kressel’s tradition, kept alive to the present day.

The correct answer was: b. No argument.

References: The author is telling a story. None of the propositions are being used to
support each other or other claims.
 30. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Does the following passage contain an argument?

There’s no point in going swimming until the rain stops. I hate being cold and wet, and
the pool water isn’t heated. So we need to find something else to do this afternoon.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The “so” indicates the conclusion. The second sentence gives reasons for
the first, which in turn leads to the last sentence.

1C. Topic: Arguments and Explanations - Results

You answered 12 out of 19 questions correctly, for a score of 63.158%.

1. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

I’m confused and feverish, my head is throbbing like a jackhammer inside my skull, and my
guts are churning. And I’ve got five interviews to give to the media in the next nine hours. I
need to take some medication.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: This stream of consciousness is an argument, where the last sentence is

a conclusion drawn from the preceding ones. If the speaker had said, “I took
medication because of . . . ” it would have been an explanation.

2. Incorrect. You answered: b. Explanation.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

Even the most committed hard determinist cannot avoid assuming something like the
conventional sense of free will in his or her daily life. When Dennis the determinist goes to a
restaurant and looks at the menu, he may intellectually accept that his selection from the
menu can only occur in one way and no other, but he still has to deliberate about the available
alternatives and then choose one. The determinist cannot “not choose” and wait for inevitable
causation to take its course. Given that, we must proceed by treating something like free will
as being practically true, regardless of our appraisal of the truth or falsity of determinism.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: This passage is an argument: The indicator phrase “given that” signals
the conclusion.

3. Correct. You answered: b. Explanation.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

 There are several hundred different kinds of odorant receptors, each one with a binding site
shaped to accommodate a specific common odorant. We can, however, discriminate between a
wider range of odours than this, because each odour is typically the result of a complex blend
of different odorant molecules.
– Philip Ball, Stories of the Invisible

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

References: The “because” in this passage explains why we can distinguish more
odors than just the several hundred different kinds of odorant receptors.

4. Correct. You answered: b. Explanation.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

Why would I invite a complete stranger into my home? Well, that’s not the issue. Upon
noticing that there was mud on his boots, I deduced that he must have traveled some
distance, since there is no running water anywhere nearby, and it hasn’t rained anytime
recently around here.

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

References: It is a fact that he invited a stranger into his house, and is now offering
an explanation of why he did it.

5. Correct. You answered: b. Explanation.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

I wake up every day and drag myself out into the world, enduring this dreadful job and hateful
people, so that I can make a future for my children that is gentler and more peaceful than my
own childhood was.

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

References: This passage explains why the speaker goes to work, by giving his or
her goals. The speaker does not attempt to prove that he or she goes to work, nor
does he or she attempt to prove the stated goals.

6. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

Speech matters. It shapes people’s perceptions, knowledge and attitudes. Why else would
businesses spend billions of dollars each year on commercial advertising? Corporations and
billionaires are not stupid. They would not waste millions of dollars to fund an endless flood of
political ads if those ads didn’t pay off. They do. Money may not guarantee victory, but it
definitely helps.
– Geoffrey Stone, “Fixing Citizens United”

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The passage is defending the claim that speech shapes people’s
perceptions and attitudes.
7. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

Bucking a national trend, NYC unemployment rose last month to 10%, up from 9.7%.
Statewide, the number of jobless New Yorkers rose to 8.9%, up from 8.6% in May. (The
national unemployment rate has been roughly 8.2% since March.) However, the numbers are
somewhat unusual, which is demonstrated by the fact that the city and state both saw
an increase in job growth, even as the unemployment percentage rose. New York State added
137,200 new private sector and government jobs, while NYC added 76,800 private sector and
government jobs. Governor Cuomo explained the unemployment spike on jobseekers entering
or re-entering the labor market “due to renewed confidence about finding employment.”
– John Del Signore, “NYC Unemployment Rate Rises To 10 Percent,” Gothamist.com

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The conclusion is deep within the passage: “the numbers are somewhat
unusual,” and is supported by the remainder of the passage. The phrase, “which is
demonstrated by the fact that,” alerts us to the evidence.

8. Correct. You answered: b. Explanation.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

Russia is extremely homophobic, so coming to Serbia for the sex change surgery was much
easier for me.
– Daniel, an anonymous 25-year-old Russian transgendered lawyer, quoted in an article on
Daniel Bilefsky for ActUp.org

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

References: The speaker is offering an explanation for why he came to Serbia, not
trying to prove that he did so.

9. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

Most people think Apple scanning all your information as you enter it into computers at their
stores is acceptable because Apple is simply looking for patterns.  That is, it’s okay because
we’re only having our information subjected to a statistical analysis, a “looking for patterns”.
They’re not interested in “us” as individuals, they’re looking for something recognizably non-
typical.  But if someone takes our photograph while we’re using Apple’s computers, we feel
our privacy has been invaded, since another human being—as opposed to a giant corporation
—is looking at us.
– Adapted from Joshua Noble, “People Doing Things,” The Factory Factory blog post

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

References: The passage is trying to explain why people feel differently about an
individual rather than a corporation monitoring and photographing them. It is not
trying to establish that people feel this way, since no evidence for that is offered.

10. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

 Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

The book is printed in a generous 14-point font so that instructors can comfortably read it at a
glance while teaching from a lectern.

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

References: It is taken as a given that the book is printed at a particular size. The
word “so” is offering an explanation of why that is, not trying to convince us of what
instructors are capable of doing.

11. Incorrect. You answered: b. Explanation.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

A well-established body of evidence shows that during pregnancy, a fetus often conflicts with
its mother’s body at a chemical level. This lends support to the idea that abortion may be
defensible on principles of self-defense.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The passage is offering a reason for the second sentence.

12. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

For my part, of all the things that are not under my control, what I value most is to enter into
a bond of friendship with sincere lovers of truth. For I believe that such a loving relationship
affords us a serenity surpassing any other boon in the whole wide world. The love that such
men bear to one another, grounded as it is in the love that each has for knowledge of truth, is
as unshakable as the acceptance of truth once it has been perceived. It is, moreover, the
highest source of happiness to be found in things not under our command, for truth more than
anything else has the power to effect a close union between various sentiments and
dispositions.
– Spinoza, a letter to Blyenbergh, January 1665

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

References: This letter starts from a feeling Spinoza has, and then offers an
explanation for why he has it. It would be odd to try to give an argument to prove
how you feel.

13. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

One of these culture dishes has a patch of mold, and all around it the bacterial colonies are
becoming transparent and dissolving. So there must be something in the mold which is anti-
bacterial.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

 References: The observation in the first sentence is being used to support the
second sentence. The indicator “so” tells us a conclusion is being drawn.

14. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

The universe must be old enough for hydrogen and helium to have formed heavier elements in
stars, since otherwise there wouldn’t be any life. And, since we’re talking to each other,
obviously, there is life.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: This case is an argument as it is arguing that the universe necessarily is

so old. Notice that the premises are taken as obvious, rather than the conclusion.

15. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

Romney, on the other hand, doesn’t much want to defend creative destruction. He boasts
about building Bain, but won’t discuss it in detail because it opens up a conversation about
those same unattractive consequences: lost jobs, bankruptcies, private pensions dumped onto
the federal government.
– Jacob Weisberg, “The Pain in Bain,” Slate

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: This passage is complicated, but the point is that Romney doesn’t want
to defend “creative destruction.” The subsequent statements support that point.

16. Incorrect. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

The reason why Battlin’ Jack has won eight fights in a row is not due to superior conditioning—
he’s still just as old and over the hill as he was before this streak began. Nor is it due to
inferior opponents. The real cause is that the fights have been rigged. The mob controls the
fights in this part of town.

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

References: It is taken as a given that Battlin’ Jack has won eight fights in a row,
and the passage tries to explain why this has happened.

17. Correct. You answered: a. Argument.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

You shouldn’t let your dog go through the Halloween trash. There’s likely to be some chocolate
in there, and if a dog eats enough, he’ll get sick.

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

 References: The speaker is trying to support the first sentence with reasons, not
explain an already-accepted truth.

18. Correct. You answered: b. Explanation.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

The judge agreed with her, but charged too high a bond, so the auction went on.

The correct answer was: b. Explanation.

References: This passage is not attempting to prove that the auction went on, but
gives an explanation of why the auction proceeded.

19. Incorrect. You answered: b. Explanation.

Is the following passage an argument or an explanation?

All the other kids get to stay up past nine when there’s no school! This isn’t fair. I’m
overworked and always having to do chores. I can’t believe you’re doing this. Please!

The correct answer was: a. Argument.

References: The conclusion is not explicit, but it is not hard to see that the speaker is
trying to convince someone of a claim, rather than explaining anything already
accepted.

1E. Topic: Deductive and Inductive Arguments -

Results
You answered 11 out of 20 questions correctly, for a score of 55%.

1. Correct. You answered: b. Inductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

I heard lots of barking last night. The neighbor’s dog must’ve been pretty upset about
something, since he rarely barks.

The correct answer was: b. Inductive.

References: The speaker is relying on a collection of experiences to draw an

inference. The speaker infers that the barking emanates from a dog, and not just any
dog but the neighbor’s dog. Moreover, the speaker associates being upset with lots
of barking, and a lack of the latter with respect to the neighbor’s dog.

2. Incorrect. You answered: b. Inductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

All dogs bark. Fido is a dog, so he barks.

 The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: The premises guarantee the conclusion.

3. Incorrect. You answered: b. Inductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

On a National Geographic map, no two adjacent nations appear shaded with the same color.
Brazil is shaded green on this map, and it is a National Geographic map. Only two nations in
South America are not adjacent to Brazil. So at most three South American nations on this
map are shaded green.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: The conclusion follows necessarily from the premises, so this is a

deductive argument.

4. Correct. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

The majority rules in the House of Representatives. Either the Democrats or the Republicans
will control the House of Representatives. As there are an odd number of representatives in
the House, it follows that there is no way there will be a tie in the House of Representatives.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: This conclusion follows necessarily from the premises, so it is deductive.

5. Correct. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

No book in English begins numbering its pages on a left-hand page. This is a book in English,
therefore it will begin its numbering on a right-hand page.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: The conclusion follows necessarily from the premises, so this is a

deductive argument.

6. Correct. You answered: b. Inductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

Based on a survey of 2200 randomly selected likely voters, 56.2% indicate that they will vote
for the incumbent in the upcoming election. Therefore, approximately 56% of the votes in the
upcoming election will be for the incumbent.

The correct answer was: b. Inductive.

 References: The conclusion does not follow necessarily from the premise. The
conclusion follows with some probability, if the generalization was done well.

7. Incorrect. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

The overwhelming majority of mutations are not beneficial to an organism’s survival. So the
odds are that no mutation is going to give an organism super powers.

The correct answer was: b. Inductive.

References: As words such as “majority” and “odds” indicate, this is an inductive

argument.

8. Incorrect. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

Some cookies are burnt. Some burnt things are good to eat. So some cookies are good to eat.

The correct answer was: b. Inductive.

References: The conclusion does not follow necessarily from the premises, as the
some cookies in the first premise may not be any part of the some burnt things in
the second premise. At best the conclusion may be probable, so this argument is
best classified as inductive.

9. Correct. You answered: b. Inductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

The telegraph was a technological breakthrough that allowed rapid communication across vast
distances. In doing so, it made communities more homogeneous and diminished diversity.
Ultimately, the benefits probably outweigh such hard-to-measure costs.

The correct answer was: b. Inductive.

References: The conclusion is claimed to follow with probability, so it is inductive.

10. Correct. You answered: b. Inductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

All reptiles ever examined are cold-blooded. Dinosaurs resemble reptiles in many ways. So
dinosaurs were cold-blooded.

The correct answer was: b. Inductive.

References: Not every argument with the word “all” in it is deductive. This argument
settles for probability twice, by allowing that all reptiles that have
been examined are cold-blooded, and that dinosaurs resemble reptiles.
11. Incorrect. You answered: b. Inductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

All mollusks are invertebrates. Snails are mollusks, so snails must be invertebrates.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: The premises guarantee the conclusion.

12. Correct. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

Jack is taller than Jill. Jill is taller than Joey. Therefore, Jack is taller than Joey.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: This argument’s premises guarantee the conclusion.

13. Incorrect. You answered: b. Inductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

Winners never quit and quitters never win. The President quit smoking, so he will never win.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: While the speaker’s intentions are not entirely clear, the conclusion
follows necessarily from the premises, which makes this a deductive argument.

14. Correct. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

I shall leave no stone unturned in my search for the truth. I am searching for the truth in a
field with eighty-six stones. Thus, I shall turn over the eight-six stones in this field.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: While the speaker’s intentions are not entirely clear, the conclusion
follows necessarily from the premises, which makes this a deductive argument.

15. Correct. You answered: b. Inductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

Cats routinely kill birds and mice. There is a cat, so it almost assuredly kills birds and mice.

The correct answer was: b. Inductive.

 References: Words such as “routinely” and “almost assuredly” indicate the inductive
character of the argument.

16. Incorrect. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

Crackers almost always have salt on them, so the crackers at this restaurant will most likely
be salted in some way. 

The correct answer was: b. Inductive.

References: “Almost always” and “most likely” indicate the speaker claims the
conclusion to follow with probability, so this is inductive.

17. Correct. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

No whale lives in fresh water, and the lake is fresh water, so there are no whales living there.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: In this argument, it is impossible for the conclusion to be false if the

premises are true, so this is a deductive argument.

18. Correct. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

Rodents all have large, sharp front teeth that they use for gnawing. A capybara is a rodent, so
it too must have large, sharp front teeth. 

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: The conclusion follows necessarily from the premises, so this is a

deductive argument.

19. Incorrect. You answered: b. Inductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

All dogs bark. Fido is a dog. So Fido barks.

The correct answer was: a. Deductive.

References: If the premises are true, it is impossible for the conclusion to be false,
so this is a deductive argument.

20. Incorrect. You answered: a. Deductive.

Is the following argument best classified as deductive or inductive?

 It usually takes 2–3 days for a delivery to ship from the warehouse to your door via most
major shipping services. You ordered on Tuesday morning, so it’s safe to assume your
package will arrive Thursday or Friday.

The correct answer was: b. Inductive.

References: The word “usually” tells us that the conclusion can only be expected to
follow with probability, making this an inductive argument.

1F. Topic: Validity and Counterexamples - Results

You answered 5 out of 15 questions correctly, for a score of 33.333%.

1. Correct. You answered: b. The Honda costs $61,240. The BMW costs $57,899. So, the BMW
costs more than the Honda..

Choose which argument models the given argument, and which substitutions create a
counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

The Honda costs over $20,000. The BMW costs over $50,000. Therefore, the BMW costs more
than the Honda.

The correct answer was: b. The Honda costs $61,240. The BMW costs $57,899. So, the BMW
costs more than the Honda..

References: Only in choice “b” are the premises true, and conclusion false.
Therefore, that is the counterexample that shows that the argument is invalid.

2. Correct. You answered: b. All A are B. Some C are B. So, some C are A. Let A = dogs, B =
animals, and C = cats..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

All demonologies are dark arts. Some conjurations are dark arts. So, some conjurations are
demonologies.

The correct answer was: b. All A are B. Some C are B. So, some C are A. Let A = dogs, B =
animals, and C = cats..

References: In choice “b” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false.
Therefore, the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “c” and
“d” incorrectly model the argument form. Choice “a” does not show a false
conclusion.

3. Incorrect. You answered: c. All A are B. Some B are not C. So, some C are not A. Let A =
beagles, B = animals, and C = dogs..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

All scientists are smart people. Some smart people are not stylish people. So, some scientists
are not stylish people.
 The correct answer was: d. All A are B. Some B are not C. So, some A are not C. Let A =
beagles, B = animals, and C = dogs..

References: In choice “d” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false.
Therefore, the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “a” and
“c” incorrectly model the argument form. Choice “b” does not show the conclusion
false with true premises.

4. Correct. You answered: d. All A are B. All A are C. So, all C are B. Let A = girls, B = females,
and C = mammals..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

All professors are people with advanced degrees. All professors are educators. So, all
educators are people with advanced degrees.

The correct answer was: d. All A are B. All A are C. So, all C are B. Let A = girls, B = females,
and C = mammals..

References: In choice “d” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false.
Therefore, the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “a” and
“c” incorrectly model the argument form. Choice “b” does not show the conclusion
false with true premises.

5. Incorrect. You answered: a. All A are B. Some B are C. So, some A are C. Let A = aardvarks,
B = bumblebees, and C = cats..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

All miracles are highly improbable events. Some highly improbable events are lottery wins. So,
some lottery wins are miracles.

The correct answer was: c. All A are B. Some B are C. So, some C are A. Let A = asteroids, B
= things that drift, and C = floating things..

References: In choice “c” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false.
(Asteroids are not floating things, since floating requires air or water.) Therefore,
the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “a” and “b” do not
model the argument form correctly. Choice “d” does not construct a successful
counterexample, as the conclusion is true.

6. Correct. You answered: c. No A are B. Some C are not B. So, some C are not A. Let A =
animals, B = rocks, and C = cats..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

No reality TV stars are normal people. Some Olympic athletes are not normal people. So,
some Olympic athletes are not reality TV stars.

The correct answer was: c. No A are B. Some C are not B. So, some C are not A. Let A =
animals, B = rocks, and C = cats..
 References: In choice “c” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false.
Therefore, the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “a” and
“b” do not model the argument form correctly. Choice “d” does not construct a
successful counterexample, as the conclusion is true.

7. Incorrect. You answered: b. All A are B. All A are C. So, all C are A. Let A = puppies, B =
dogs, and C = mammals..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

All vegans are people unafraid to stand on principle. All vegans are independent-minded
people. It follows that all people unafraid to stand on principle are independent-minded
people.

The correct answer was: a. All A are B. All A are C. So, all B are C. Let A = puppies, B =
mammals, and C = dogs..

References: In “a,” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false. Therefore,
the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “b” and “d” do not
model the argument form correctly. In choice “c,” the form is correct, but
substitution does not result in true premises and a false conclusion.

8. Incorrect. You answered: b. All A are B. No C are A. So, no C are B. Let A = fish, B = cold-
blooded animals, and C = dogs..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

All people who hate children are people who have mental problems. No pediatricians are
people who hate children. Therefore, no pediatricians are people who have mental problems.

The correct answer was: d. All A are B. No C are A. So, no C are B. Let A = fish, B = animals,
and C = dogs..

References: In choice “d” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false.
Therefore, the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “a” and
“c” incorrectly model the argument form. Choice “b” does not show the conclusion
false with true premises.

9. Incorrect. You answered: c. All A are B. No C are A. So, no C are B. Let A = cats, B =

animals, and C = rocks..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

All fashion models are conventionally attractive people. No tattoo artists are fashion models.
Therefore, no tattoo artists are conventionally attractive people.

The correct answer was: a. All A are B. No C are A. So, no C are B. Let A = cats, B = animals,
and C = dogs..

References: In “a,” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false. Therefore,
the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “b” and “d” do not
 model the argument form correctly. In choice “c,” the form is correct, but
substitution does not result in true premises and a false conclusion.

10. Incorrect. You answered: a. All A are B. All B are C. So, all A are C. Let A = cats, B =
animals, and C = dogs..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

All testimony under oath is admissible evidence in court. All matters of public record are
admissible evidence in court. Therefore, all testimony under oath are matters of public record.

The correct answer was: d. All A are B. All C are B. So, all A are C. Let A = cats, B = animals,
and C = dogs..

References: In choice “d” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false.
Therefore, the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “a” and
“c” incorrectly model the argument form. Choice “b” does not show the conclusion
false with true premises.

11. Incorrect. You answered: d. All A are B. Some A are not C. So, some C are not B. Let A =
animals, B = living things, and C = famous things..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

All criminals are lawbreakers. Some criminals are not people who get caught. So, some people
who get caught are not lawbreakers.

The correct answer was: c. All A are B. Some A are not C. So, some C are not B. Let A = dogs,
B = animals, and C = beagles..

References: In choice “c” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false.
Therefore, the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “a” and
“b” do not model the argument form correctly. Choice “d” does not construct a
successful counterexample, as the conclusion is true.

12. Incorrect. You answered: a. Some A are B. All C are B. So, some C are not A. Let A =
animals, B = cats, and C = dogs..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

Some rich people are philanthropists. All philanthropists are kind people. So, some kind people
are not rich people.

The correct answer was: b. Some A are B. All B are C. So, some C are not A. Let A = animals,
B = cats, and C = mammals..

References: Only in choice “b” are both premises true and the conclusion false.
Therefore, the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “a” and
“c” do not model the argument form correctly. In choice “d” the counterexample
does not have a false conclusion.
13. Incorrect. You answered: d. No A are P. Some R are P. So some R are A. Let A = cars, P =
cats, R = mammals..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

No animals are plants. Some protozoans are not plants. Therefore, some protozoans are
animals.

The correct answer was: a. No A are P. Some R are not P. So some R are A. Let A = cars, P =
cats, R = mammals..

References: In choice “a,” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false.
Therefore, the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. Choices “b” and
“d” do not model the argument form correctly. In choice “c,” the form is correct, but
substitution does not result in true premises and a false conclusion.

14. Incorrect. You answered: c. No B are C. Some D are not C. So, no D are B. Let B = people, C
= cats, and D = pets..

Choose which argument form correctly models the given argument, and which substitutions
create a counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

No baseballs are cubes. Some dice are cubes. So, no dice are baseballs.

The correct answer was: d. No B are C. Some D are C. So, no D are B. Let B = beagles, C =
collies, and D = dogs..

References: In “d,” both premises are true, and the conclusion is false. Therefore,
the counterexample shows that the argument is invalid. In choice “a,” the
counterexample has a true conclusion. Choices “b” and “c” model the argument form
incorrectly.

15. Correct. You answered: c. Bill is six feet two inches tall. Jon is six feet one inch tall. Thus, Jon
is taller than Bill..

Choose which argument models the given argument, and which substitutions create a
counterexample that shows the argument is invalid.

Bill is taller than five feet. Jon is taller than five feet seven inches. Thus, Jon is taller than Bill.

The correct answer was: c. Bill is six feet two inches tall. Jon is six feet one inch tall. Thus, Jon
is taller than Bill..

References: Only choice “c” is a correct model of the argument and has both
premises true and the conclusion false. Therefore, it is the only counterexample that
shows that the argument is invalid.

1. Incorrect. You answered: b. Weak.

Is the following inductive argument strong or weak?

Only twelve men have ever walked on the moon. So the next person you meet has not walked
on the moon.
 The correct answer was: a. Strong.

References: It is extremely unlikely for the conclusion to be false given the premise,
so it is a strong argument.

2. Correct. You answered: a. Strong.

Is the following inductive argument strong or weak?

Almost every duck quacks. Lo, there is a duck! I expect that yonder duck quacks.

The correct answer was: a. Strong.

References: If the premise is true, the vast majority of ducks quack, and so it
probably follows that the conclusion is true.

3. Correct. You answered: b. Weak.

Is the following inductive argument strong or weak?

Almost all dogs bark. I hear something barking. So it’s probably a dog.

The correct answer was: b. Weak.

References: These premises tell us nothing about what portion of barking things are
dogs. And nothing in these premises excludes the speaker from wandering on a
beach, where seals may be barking at each other, or in a forest full of foxes.

4. Incorrect. You answered: a. Strong.

Is the following inductive argument strong or weak?

Approximately 45% of women above the age of 20 live to be 85. Ann is 21, so Ann will live to
be at least 85.

The correct answer was: b. Weak.

References: Given only this information, it is slightly more likely to conclude that
Ann will not live to be at least 85, so the conclusion is not probable. The argument is
weak.

5. Correct. You answered: a. Strong.

Is the following inductive argument strong or weak?

Virtually no Civil War battles were fought west of Texas. So the Civil War veteran you are
descended from probably didn’t fight west of Texas.

The correct answer was: a. Strong.

References: Given the premises, it is unlikely that the conclusion is false, so this
argument is strong.