PLS2601/202/2/2022

Tutorial Letter 202/2/2022

Critical Reasoning

PLS2601

Semester 2

Department of Philosophy, Practical and

Systematic Theology

Discipline of Philosophy

This tutorial letter contains important feedback information on your second

assignment and the Final Examination.

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CONTENTS

Page

1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 3
2 ASSESSMENT PLAN FOR PLS2601 .......................................................................................... 3
3 FEEDBACK ON ASSIGNMENT 02 (UNIQUE NUMBER: 817609)............................................... 3
4 THE FINAL EXAMINATION ....................................................................................................... 10
4.1 Format of the Examination …………………………………………………………………………….10
4.2 Duration of the Exam …………………………………………………………………………………...10
4.3 Structure of the Exam Paper ………………………………………………………………………….10
4.4 The scope of the Exam …………………………………………………………………………………10
5. OTHERS …………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
5.1 Exam Papers of previous years ………………………………………………………………………10
6 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................ 11

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1. INTRODUCTION

Dear student of PLS2601 Critical Reasoning,

This follow up tutorial letter contains the answers to Assignment 02. The questions for this assignment
come from Study Guide (All lessons and multilingual glossary).

2. ASSESSMENT PLAN FOR PLS2601

Please be reminded again that your second assignment carries significant percentage of your final module
mark (20% of final mark). See the table below.

Formative assessment Summative assessment FINAL MODULE

(40% of final mark) (60% of final mark) MARK
+ = (100%
Assignment + Assignment Examination
01 02
(20% of final (20% of final
mark) mark)

As each assessment component comprises a significant percentage of your final module mark, you are
encouraged to submit each assignment, on time, and completed to the very best of your ability.

3. FEEDBACK ON ASSIGNMENT 02 (UNIQUE NUMBER: 817609)

Instructions for Question 1:

Write short answers for each question. The number alongside each question is the total mark
for the question.

QUESTION 1: SHORT QUESTIONS:

1.1 What is the difference between an opinion and an informed opinion? (2 marks)
An opinion is an expressed personal belief or idea about the value, usefulness, meaning and so
on, of a state of affairs. This idea or belief is often coloured by one’s feelings, state of mind,
or experience. An informed opinion on the other is a belief or idea that is supported by
reasons that lead to its acceptability.

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1.2 For us to be critical thinkers, we need to do ‘critical self-reflection.’ What does this mean?
(3 marks)
It means we should always be prepared to examine and critique our own assumptions and
prejudices about life and other people. We should also be suspicious of all dogmatic beliefs
around us and be keen to re-evaluate them in terms of their reasonableness and practicality.

1.3 Identify the type of writing which is in use in the following passages:
(Note: Write only one type of writing)
1.3.1 On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al
Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the
United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade
Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside
Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Almost 3,000 people were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which triggered major
U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defined the presidency of George W. Bush
ANSWER: Narrative writing (2 marks)

1.3.2 My most valuable possession is an old, slightly warped blond guitar―the first instrument I
taught myself how to play. It's nothing fancy, just a Madeira folk guitar, all scuffed and
scratched and fingerprinted. At the top is a bramble of copper-wound strings, each one
hooked through the eye of a silver tuning key. The strings are stretched down a long,
slim neck, its frets tarnished, the wood worn by years of fingers pressing chords and
picking notes. The body of the Madeira is shaped like an enormous yellow pear, one that
was slightly damaged in shipping. The blond wood has been chipped and gouged to
gray, particularly where the pick guard fell off years ago. No, it's not a beautiful
instrument, but it still lets me make music, and for that I will always treasure it."
ANSWER: Descriptive writing (2 marks)

1.3.3 As online learning becomes more common and more and more resources are converted
to digital form, some people have suggested that public libraries should be shut down
and, in their place, everyone should be given an iPad with an e-reader subscription.
Proponents of this idea state that it will save local cities and towns money because
libraries are expensive to maintain. They also believe it will encourage more people to
read because they won’t have to travel to a library to get a book; they can simply click on

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what they want to read and read it from wherever they are. They could also access more
materials because libraries won’t have to buy physical copies of books; they can simply
rent out as many digital copies as they need.
ANSWER: Argumentative writing (2 marks)

1.4 Identify the type of definition used in each of the following passages:
(Note: Write only one type of writing.)
1.4.1 There ought to be a law against Psychiatry. For Psychiatry means person who makes a
living by changing money for talking with deeply, troubled people. And it is wrong to exploit
deeply, troubled people.
ANSWER: Persuasive definition (2 marks)

1.4.2 Religion means among others, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism
and the like.
ANSWER: enumerative definition (2 marks)

1.5 Each of the following passages contains an ‘informal fallacy.’ Name the fallacy.
(Note: There is only one fallacy in each passage)
1.5.1 “Your Honor, it's true that I killed my parents. I fully admit that I murdered them in cold
blood. But I should get a light sentence. After all, I am an orphan.”
ANSWER: Appeal to pity (Ad Misericordiam fallacy) (1 mark)

1.5.2 “Since you became a member of this club, you've raised quite a ruckus about women's
rights. And I know you sincerely believe in feminism. But if you go on holding these
extreme views, I will see to it that you are never voted in as an officer of this club. And,
you know, I can make good on that threat. I hope you follow me. Your feminist views are
too radical and need to be toned down.”
ANSWER: Appeal to force (Ad Baculum fallacy) (1 mark)

1.5.3 I find it mildly amusing that Mr and Mrs. Billings are advocating School reforms. But I
certainly do not see any reason to take their proposal seriously, both of them were poor
students in high school.
ANSWER: Argument against the person (Ad Hominem fallacy) (1 mark)

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QUESTION 2: ARGUMENT EVALUATION:

Instructions for Question 2:

1. Evaluate the following three arguments.
2. In your evaluation, state whether the argument is inductive or deductive, value or empirical,
contains a fallacy or not (stipulate which fallacy if it contains one) and whether it is valid/invalid
or sound/unsound.
3. Present your responses on how you have evaluated the three arguments in the form of the
table. The table is provided below after the three arguments:

Argument 2.1
No sane witnesses incriminate themselves. But some witnesses incriminate themselves, so,
some witnesses are insane.

Argument 2.2
Your reluctance to take this job is beyond comprehension. The pay is good and the hours are
reasonable. Furthermore, the work of a sanitary removal engineer is of great importance.

Argument 2.3
If Russia uses nuclear weapons to attack Ukraine, then the Third world war will break out. But
Russia has not used nuclear weapons. Hence, the Third world war has not broken out.

Table in which to provide your answers is here below. But you can also draw your own table.

Inductive or Value or Fallacy? If ‘Yes,’ Valid / invalid or

Deductive empirical which? sound / unsound
Argument 2.1 Deductive Empirical No Fallacy Valid

Argument 2.2 Inductive Value No Fallacy Valid

Argument 2.3 Deductive Empirical Yes, Denying the Invalid and

consequent Unsound

[1x13=13]

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QUESTION 3: ARGUMENT STRUCTURES:

Instructions for Question 3:
Please provide formal argument structure of the following arguments using the statement
symbols provided in brackets. Your arguments should be rewritten in the following format and
be represented in statement symbols provided:
Premise 1
Premise 2
Conclusion
Example 1: If the car starts (S), then the battery is full (F). The car starts. Therefore, the battery
is full. Argument Structure: Premise 1 If S then F
Premise 2 S
Conclusion Therefore, F
Example 2: No rocks (R) are living beings (L). All animals (A) are living beings (L). So, No
animal (A) is a rock (R). Argument Structure: Premise 1 No R are L
Premise 2 All A are L
Conclusion So, No A is R

3.1
No cowards are (C) bull riders (R); therefore, some fools (F) are not cowards (not C) since some
bull riders (R) are fools (F). (3 marks)

ANSWER: No C are R
Some R are F
So, Some F are not C

3.2
If South Africa meddles in the affairs of Russia (M), then Russia will attack South Africa (A). But
it is not the case that Russia attacks South Africa (not A). It follows that South Africa did not
meddle in the affairs of Russia (not M). (3 marks)

ANSWER: if M then A
Not A
Therefore, not M

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3.3
Not having exceeded our natural resources (not E) is a necessary condition for its being
appropriate to expand our city (A). Unfortunately, we have exceeded our natural resources (E).
Consequently, it is not appropriate to expand our city (not A).
(4 marks)
ANSWER: If A then not E
E
So, not A
[10]

QUESTION 4: ARGUMENT MAPS/DIAGRAMS:

Instructions for Question 4:

Create argument maps/argument diagrams of the following arguments.

Example:
All human beings are mortal (a). Penelope is mortal (b). Therefore, Penelope is a human being
(c).
Argument map/diagram
a b

c
Be sure that you number the statements as they are labelled in the questions.

4.1
Charles is unpleasant to work with (1), since he interrupts people constantly (2). Therefore, I do
not want to serve on a committee with Charles (3). (4 marks)
ANSWER: Prem 1: Charles interrupts people constantly (2)
Sub-concl.: Charles is unpleasant to work with (1)
Concl.: I do not want to serve on a committee with Charles (3)
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4.2
Campaign reform is needed (1) because many contributions to political campaigns are morally
equivalent to bribes (2). (2 marks)

ANSWER: Prem 1 Many contributions to political campaigns are morally equivalent to bribes
(2)
Concl. Campaign reforms is needed (1)

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4.3
In spite of the fact that electrons are physical entities, they cannot be seen (1), for electrons are
too small to deflect photons (i.e. light particles) (2). Hence, electrons are invisible (3). (3 marks)
[9]
ANSWER: Prem1: Electrons are too small to deflect photons (light particles) (2)
Concl.: In spite of the fact that electrons are physical entities, they can’t be seen (1)
Or
(Hence) Electrons are invisible (3) [this is a repetition of statement 1]

1/3

[50 MARKS]

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4. THE FINAL EXAMINATION

4.1 Format of the Exam:

Your exam will be a “non-venue based examination” which will consist of a timed examination question
paper, which you will be able to download on the MyExam platform, within the specified duration assigned
for the examination.

4.2 Duration of the Exam:

Your exam will run for three (3) Hours. These three hours should be dedicated to the writing of your
answers. Unisa has given you an extra 30 minutes over and above the three hours for the upload of your
exam script. Strictly speaking, this half-an-hour should be dedicated to efforts to scan and submit your
scripts on the myExam platform. This may take a while as many other students will be trying to submit at
the same time. So, within 3 and half hours you should try to write your answers and submit your script to
the Exam department.

4.3 Structure of the Exam paper:

The examination paper for the module PLS2601 (Critical Reasoning) consists of written short questions.
Be guided by the types of questions posed in your second assignments, because similar sorts of questions
will be asked in the examination. There are no multiple-choice questions on the question paper.

4.4 The scope of the Exam:

The “scope” of the examination covers the full content of the module.
We would like to encourage the greater use of myUnisa by PLS2601 students. You will find that coupled
with many additional online resources, there are opportunities online to engage with us, via the discussion
forums. Within the discussion forums, please feel free to post your problems and concerns and we will
attempt to respond to them timeously.

4.5 Where to answer exam questions?

Students need not answer the exam questions within the downloaded exam paper. You can create your
own document on which to answer. But please make sure that you will convert your document into a pdf
file before you submit it on the myExam platform.

5. OTHERS
5.1 Examination papers of previous years:
I will send you before the end of this week, a couple of examination question papers and memoranda to
assist you with your revision. Please note that some previous exam papers that you may find in the

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MyUnisa may still bear an outdated exam structure wherein multiple-choice questions were still utilised.
There will not be any multiple-choice questions in the forth-coming examination.

6. CONCLUSION

We hope that you have found this Tutorial Letter useful. Should you have any queries, questions, etc.,
please do not hesitate to contact us or your group’s e-tutor.

With kind regards, and best wishes for your studies in Critical Reasoning,

Dr. Ezekiel Mkhwanazi

Discipline of Philosophy
Department of Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology

Telephone: +27 12 429 6397

e-mail: mkhwaesn@unisa.ac.za

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