Diagramming Arguments

Practice Questions—WITH correct answers provided

Instructions for Practice Questions:

(i) Each question presents you with an argument to analyze.1
(ii) For each question, begin by writing up a numbered list of the premises and conclusion(s) in the
order in which they appear in the italicized passage.
(iii) Identify which one of the items on this list is the conclusion.
(iv) Diagram the relevant text using the numbers of the items on the list that you created in accordance
with instruction (ii) of these instructions.

Example

Original Text: Exercise helps strengthen your cardiovascular system. It also lowers your cholesterol,
increases the blood flow to the brain, and enables you to think longer. Thus, there is no reason
for you not to start exercising regularly.

Answer: 1. Exercise helps strengthen your cardiovascular system.

2. Exercise lowers your cholesterol.
3. Exercise increases the blood flow to the brain.
4. Exercise enables you to think longer.
5. There is no reason for you not to start exercising regularly.--CONCLUSION

1
These arguments are from Check Your Understanding 1B.1. If you worked out answers for that question set, then you
have already identified the premises and the conclusions of these arguments. However, note that the elements (i.e.
premises and conclusions) of these arguments will be ordered differently than in the original exercise. See instruction (ii)
above.

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Practice Questions
2. If you start a strenuous exercise regimen before you know if your body is ready, you can cause serious
damage. Therefore, you should always have a physical checkup before you start a rigid exercise program.

1. If you start a strenuous exercise regimen before you know if your body is ready, you can cause serious damage.
2. You should always have a physical checkup before you start a rigid exercise program.--CONCLUSION

3. Since television commercials help pay the cost of programming, and because I can always turn off the
sound of the commercials, go to the bathroom, or get something to eat or drink, it follows that
commercials are not such a bad thing.
1. Television commercials help pay the cost of programming.
2. I can always turn off the sound of the commercials.
3. I can always go to the bathroom.
4. I can always get something to eat.
5. I can always get something to drink.
6. Commercials are not such a bad thing.--CONCLUSION

1 2 3 4 5

4. Since television commercials disrupt the flow of programs, and given that any disruption impedes the
continuity of a show, consequently we can safely say that commercials are a bad thing.
1. Television commercials disrupt the flow of programs.
2. Any disruption impedes the continuity of a show.
3. We can safely say that commercials are a bad thing.--CONCLUSION

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5. 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.
1. We should never take our friends for granted.--CONCLUSION
2. True friends are there when we need them.
3. True friends suffer with us when we fail.
4. True friends are happy when we succeed.

6. They say that “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” so my teachers should really love me, since I have
been absent for the last 2 weeks.
1. They say that “absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
2. My teachers should really love me.--CONCLUSION
3. I have been absent for the last 2 weeks.

7. I think, therefore I am.

1. I think.
2. I am.--CONCLUSION

8. I believe that humans will evolve into androids, because we will eventually be able to replace all organic
body parts with artificial parts. In addition, we will be able to live virtually forever by simply replacing the
parts when they wear out or become defective.
1. Humans will evolve into androids.--CONCLUSION
2. We will eventually be able to replace all organic body parts with artificial parts.
3. We will be able to live virtually forever by simply replacing the parts when they wear out or become defective.

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9. At one time Gary Kasparov had the highest ranking of any chess grandmaster 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.
1. At one time Gary Kasparov had the highest ranking of any chess grandmaster in history.
2. Gary Kasparov was beaten in a chess tournament by a computer program called Deep Blue.
3. Deep Blue should be given a ranking higher than Kasparov.—CONCLUSION

10. It is true that 1 + 4 = 5, and it is also true that 2 + 3 = 5. Thus, we can conclude with certainty that
(1 + 4) = (2 + 3).
1. It is true that 1 + 4 = 5.
2. It is true that 2 + 3 = 5.
3. We can conclude with certainty that (1 + 4) = (2 + 3).--CONCLUSION

11. The digital camera on sale today at Cameras Galore has 5.0 megapixels and costs $200. The digital
camera on sale at Camera Warehouse has 4.0 megapixels and it costs $150. You said that you did not
want to spend over $175 for a camera, so you should buy the one at Camera Warehouse.
1. The digital camera on sale today at Cameras Galore has 5.0 megapixels and costs $200.
2. The digital camera on sale at Camera Warehouse has 4.0 megapixels and it costs $150.
3. You said that you did not want to spend over $175 for a camera.
4. You should buy the one at Camera Warehouse.--CONCLUSION

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12. You should buy the digital camera at Cameras Galore. After all, you did say that you wanted the most
megapixels you can get for up to $200. The digital camera on sale today at Cameras Galore has 5.0
megapixels and costs $200. But the digital camera on sale at Camera Warehouse has only 4.0
megapixels and it costs $150.
1. You should buy the digital camera at Cameras Galore.--CONCLUSION
2. You did say that you wanted the most megapixels you can get for up to $200.
3. The digital camera on sale today at Cameras Galore has 5.0 megapixels and costs $200.
4. The digital camera on sale at Camera Warehouse has only 4.0 megapixels and it costs $150.

13. 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.
1. The world will end on August 6, 2045.--CONCLUSION
2. My guru said that the world will end on August 6, 2045.
3. So far everything my guru predicted has happened exactly as he said it would.

14. Fast-food products contain high levels of cholesterol. They also contain high levels of sodium, fat, and
trans fatty acids. These things are bad for your health. I am going to stop eating in fast food places.
1. Fast-food products contain high levels of cholesterol.
2. Fast-food products contain high levels of sodium.
3. Fast-food products contain high levels of fat.
4. Fast-food products contain high levels of trans fatty acids.
5. High levels of each of these things—i.e. cholesterol, sodium, fat, and trans fatty acids—are bad for your health.
6. I am going to stop eating in fast food places.—CONCLUSION

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5

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15. You should eat more vegetables. They contain low levels of cholesterol. They also contain low levels of
sodium, fat, and trans fatty acids. High levels of those things are bad for your health.
1. You should eat more vegetables.--CONCLUSION
2. Vegetables contain low levels of cholesterol.
3. Vegetables contain low levels of sodium.
4. Vegetables contain low levels of fat.
5. Vegetables contain low levels of trans fatty acids.
6. High levels of each of these things—i.e. cholesterol, sodium, fat, and trans fatty acids—are bad for your health.

2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6

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