Critical thinking assignments ( Nguyễn Ngọc Thắng )

1. identify the patterns of the arguments :

arguments Patterns
If we’re in London, then we’re in England. We
are not in England. So, we are not in London

If we’re in Los Angeles, then we are in the

United States. We are in the United States. So,
we are in Los Angele

If we’re in the United States, then we are on

Earth. We are in the United States. So, we are on
Earth

If we’re in Paris, then we are in France. If we’re

in France, then we are in Europe. So, if we are in
Paris, then we are in Europe

If we’re in Houston, then we are in the United

States. We are not in Houston. So, we are not in
the United States

If we’re in Shanghai, then we are in China. So,

we are in China, because we are in Shanghai

We are not in Mexico, because if we are in

Mexico City, we are in Mexico, and we are not
in Mexico City

If we’re in Toronto, then we are in Canada. So,

because if we are in Canada, we are in North
America, if we are in Toronto, then we are in
North America

We’re in Berlin, given that if we are in Berlin,

then we are in Germany, and we are in
Germany.

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2. Determine whether the following arguments are deductive or inductive. For each argument,
state which test(s) you used in reaching your decision (i.e., the indicator word test, the strict
necessity test, the common pattern test, and/or the principle of charity test). If the common
pattern test is used, indicate which specific pattern the argument exemplifies (e.g., causal
argument, argument from authority, and so on)

E.g 1. Because x 3 and y 5, then x y 8. -> ( deductive , statistics )

2. According to the New York Public Library Desk Reference, the pop-up toaster was invented by
Charles Strike in 1927. The New York Public Library Desk Reference is a highly reliable reference
work. Therefore, it’s reasonable to believe that Charles Strike did invent the pop-up toaster in 1927.
->…………………..

3. Seventy-three percent of Ft. Gibson residents enjoy fishing. Lonnie is a Ft. Gibson resident. So,
it’s likely that Lonnie enjoys fishing. ->->…………………

4. Either Elmo will win the election or Schlomo will win the election. But Elmo won’t win the
election. Therefore, Schlomo will win the election ->………………………

5. The burglar is tall and thin. Duncan is short and fat. Obviously, therefore, Duncan isn’t the
burglar. ->…………………

6. There are no visible signs of forced entry. It seems certain, therefore, that the burglar had a key. -
>…………………

7. The sign says it is seven miles to Lake Lily. Therefore, it is approximately seven miles to Lake
Lily. ->…………………

8. Joan is an extrovert. It follows that she is outgoing. ->…………………

9. All inductive generalizations are inductive. Some inductive generalizations are

unreliable. Therefore, some inductive arguments are unreliable. ->…………………

10. If it rains, the game will be postponed until next Saturday. According to the National Weather
Service, there’s a 90 percent chance of rain. Therefore, probably the game will be postponed until
next Saturday. ->…………………

11. If the batter bunts (vận động viên bóng chày chặn bóng) in this situation, he’ll move the runner
over to second base. But the batter won’t bunt in this situation. Therefore, the runner will never be
moved over to second base. ->…………………

12. Hughie is the father of Louie. It follows that Hughie is the grandfather of Dewey because Louie
is the father of Dewey. ->…………………

13. Mandatory school uniforms are a good idea because they keep students’ minds focused on their
schoolwork rather than on what the kid sitting next to them is wearing ->…………………

14. Klaus ingested a large dose (liều lượng) of rat poison (thuốc chuột) just before he died.
Therefore, the rat poison must have caused Klaus’s death ->…………………
15. All previously observed polar bears have weighed less than 1,500 pounds. Therefore, all polar
bears probably weigh less than 1,500 pounds ->…………………

16. Kevin says he can lift 1,000 pounds over his head. A full-grown cow weighs less than 1,000
pounds. So, Kevin can lift a full-grown cow over his head ->…………………

17. If my car is out of gas, it won’t start. My car won’t start. Therefore, it is out of gas -
>…………………

18. Yale is an Ivy League school, and it has a good library. Harvard is an Ivy League school, and it
has a good library. Therefore, because Brown is an Ivy League school, it must have a good library,
too. ->…………………

19. I wouldn’t swim in that water if I were you. It might be pollute. -

>……………………………….

20. This tree is deciduous (rụng lá). It must be the case, therefore, that it periodically

sheds (rụng) its leaves. ->……………………………….

3. Determine whether the following arguments are deductive or inductive. If the argument is
deductive, determine whether it is valid or invalid. If the argument is inductive, determine
whether it is strong or weak. Explain your answer in each case.

1. If Boston loses, Cleveland will make the play-offs. If Cleveland makes the play-offs, the first
play-off game will be played in Seattle. Therefore, if Boston loses, the first play-off game will be
played in Seattle. ->……………………………….

2. All birds can fly. Penguins are birds. So, penguins can fly. ->……………………………….

3. Most college students sleep late on Sunday mornings. Wes is a college student. So, Wes

probably sleeps late on Sunday mornings->……………………………….

4. Exercise is good for the vast majority of people. Therefore, it would be good for my ninety-

five-year-old grandfather to run in next year’s Boston Marathon. (\->……………………………….

5. John’s home address is 47 Riverside Drive. It follows that he must live near a river. -
>……………………………….

6. It is totally dark in here, but I know that the only things in the drawer (ngăn kéo) are socks, ten
black, ten white. I had better take out eleven socks to be sure I get a matched pair. -
>……………………………….

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7.According to the Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, philosopher William James was born in
New York City in 1842. So, William James was born in New York City in 1842 -
>……………………………….

8. If it rained, then the streets are wet. The streets are wet. So, it rained. -
>……………………………….
9. This bathwater is tepid (âm ấm). It follows that it is neither extremely hot nor extremely cold. -
>……………………………….
10. States were justified in suing (yêu cầu) tobaco companies to recover the health-care -
>……………………………….
11. There are more than fifty students in this class. It must be the case, therefore, that at least one

of them is a Capricorn. ->……………………………….

12. In a recent Gallup poll, 72 percent of Americans said they favored the death penalty.

Therefore, approximately 72 percent of Americans do favor the death penalty. -

>……………………………….

13. On Monday I drank ten rum-and-Cokes, and the next morning I woke up with a headache. On
Wednesday I drank eight gin-and-Cokes, and the next morning I woke up with a headache. On
Friday I drank nine bourbon-and Cokes, and the next morning I woke up with a headache.
Obviously, to prevent further headaches, I must give up Coke. ->……………………………….

14. Smedley ran 5 miles in 38 minutes. It follows that he must have run at least 1 mile in less than 8
minutes. ->……………………………….

15. Some Native Americans are Democrats. Some Democrats are Supreme Court justices. So, some
Supreme Court justices must be Native Americans. ->……………………………….

16. Nearly all U.S. presidents were born before 1925. It stands to reason, therefore, that the next
U.S. president will have been born before 1925. ->……………………………….

17. The Empire State Building is taller than the Sears Tower. Therefore, because the Eiffel Tower is
shorter than the Empire State Building, it follows that the Sears Tower is taller than the Eiffel
Tower. ->……………………………….

18. Do most Americans like rap music? Apparently not. In a random survey of ten thousand nursing
home patients around the country, fewer than 5 percent said they enjoyed listening to rap. -
>……………………………….

19. Richard Dawkins, the famous scientist, has said that the heavy elements like iron and zinc (kẽm)
that compose human bodies were created billions of years ago in the interiors of long- extinct stars.
Moreover, virtually all scientists agree with Dawkins on this point. Therefore, it is probably true
that the heavy elements like iron and zinc that compose human bodies were created billions of years
ago in the interiors of long-extinct stars. ->……………………………….

20. Jerry was born on Easter Sunday (ngày lễ Phục sinh). It necessarily follows, therefore, that his
birthday always falls on a Sunday ->……………………………….

I. identify types of fallacies .

1. The new Volkswagon Beetle is the coolest car around. It’s selling like hotcakes (bánh nhân thịt).
You should ask your parents to buy you one. ->……………………………….

2 .School superintendent (giám thị) Kate Duncan has argued that children in public schools should
be allowed to participate in a voluntary moment of silence at the beginning of each school day. But
it’s wrong to allow teachers to indoctrinate (truyền bá) children with their own religious views.
Duncan’s argument must be firmly rejected. ->……………………………….
3 .Paper is combustible because it burns. ->……………………………….

4 . Consider the following conversation ->……………………………….

1. Al:I can’t believe it! My bank made a mistake on my account balance. There’s an
extra $3,000 in my checking account.
2. Joe: Are you going to report the mistake?
3. Al: Why should I? They’ve been ripping me off for years with their high ATM fees.

5 .Dean of students to student: Mr. Boosely, you’ve twice been cited for violating the college’s
alcoholic beverage policy. If you commit a third violation, I’ll have no choice but to suspend you
from school. ->……………………………….

6 .Only man has an immortal soul. No woman is a man. Therefore, no woman has an immortal soul
->……………………………….

7 .Recently, a scientific study found that eating large amounts of chocolate ice cream is actually
good for you. We shouldn’t be too quick to accept this conclusion, however, because the study was
funded entirely by Baskin Robbins and other leading ice-cream makers . -
>……………………………….

8. Rachel Peters has argued that assault weapons should be outlawed. Apparently, Rachel believes
that no one has the right to own firearms for purposes of self-protection. But such a view is
completely indefensible. It would leave law-abiding citizens defenseless against predatory criminals
(tội phạm cướp giật). ->……………………………….

9 .Karen has argued that the secretaries at Acme Steel will get more respect if they change their title
from “secretary” to “office assistant.” But everyone knows that Acme Steel has a bottom-line
mentality. They’ll let you call yourself anything you want, but they won’t raise your salary a nickel.
->……………………………….

10. At the global-warming conference in Kyoto, many developing nations argued against setting
strict emissions standards, claiming that this would put them at a competitive disadvantage against
rich industrialized nations that have already benefited from lax environmental standards. But these
developing nations are just jealous of the high standard of living industrialized nations have
achieved. Sour grapes, that’s all their arguments amount to ->……………………………….

Chương 7
diagram argument

1. ➀ Bertie probably isn’t home. ➁ His car isn’t in the driveway, and ➂ there are no lights on
in his house.

2. ➀ Affirmative action in higher education is morally justifiable because ➁ it compensates for

past discrimination, ➂ provides valuable role models for women and minorities, and ➃
promotes multicultural understanding
 3. ➀ Only three people could have stolen the CD: Danny, Stacy, or Patrick. But ➁ Stacy
couldn’t have stolen the CD because ➂ she was out riding her bike. ➃ Patrick couldn’t have
stolen the CD because ➄ he was at a friend’s house. Therefore, ➅ Danny must have stolen
the CD

4. Several states have abolished the insanity defense against criminal responsibility. ➀ This
may be popular with voters, but it is morally indefensible. ➁ Insanity removes moral
responsibility, and ➂ it is wrong to punish someone who is not morally responsible for his
crime. Moreover, ➃ it is pointless to punish the insane because ➄ punishment has no
deterrent effect on a person who cannot appreciate the wrongfulness or criminality of his or
her actions.

5. ➀ If today is Saturday, then tomorrow is Sunday. ➁ If tomorrow is Sunday, then we’ll be

having pasta for dinner. ➂ If we’ll be having pasta for dinner, then I should pick up some red
wine today because ➃ in this state wine can be purchased only at liquor stores, and ➄ the
liquor stores are closed on Sundays. ➅ Today is Saturday. Therefore, ➆ I should pick up
some red wine today.

6 .Since ➀our feelings, desires, and preferences can be either beneficial or harmful, noble or
ignoble, praiseworthy or damnable, and since ➁they can be either in harmony or in conflict with
other people’s feelings, desires, and preferences, ➂they are obviously not accurate tools for analysis
of moral issues or rustworthy guidelines to action. (Vincent Ryan Ruggiero, The Moral
Imperative,2nd ed.)
7 .➀School tests should be abolished. ➁Tests introduce competition where it does not belong.
➂They deny the individuality of students’ talents and interests. ➃They degrade education by
encouraging passivity, mindlessness, and triviality. Finally, ➄they send the wrong messages about
what is valuable in education and in life. (stated but not endorsed in E. D. Hirsch Jr., The Schools
We Need and Why We Don’t Have Them)

8 .➀Education implies teaching. ➁ Teaching implies knowledge. ➂Knowledge is truth. ➃The truth
is everywhere the same. Hence➄education should be everywhere the same. (Robert Maynard
Hutchins, The Higher Learning in the United States) ]

7. Find the missing premise or conclusion in the following arguments

1. Because this is a Mazda Miata, it’s a convertible. (Missing premise: All Mazda Miata are
convertibles)

2. This is a Civic only if it’s a Honda. Therefore, this is not a Civic.

-> ………………………………………………………………

3 .If this is a Camry or a Corolla, then it’s a Toyota. If this is a Toyota, then it gets good gas
mileage. This is a Corolla. Therefore, it gets good gas mileage .

-> ……………………………………………………………………………

4. Some Fords are trucks because all Rangers are trucks

. -> …………………………………………………………………………..

5 .If this car gets good gas mileage, it’s good for the environment. If this car doesn’t get good gas
mileage, I don’t want it. This car isn’t good for the environment. Therefore, I don’t want it.

-> ………………………………………………………………

6 .Li Fong is from Singapore, so she probably speaks English

-> …………………………………………………………………………..

8 .If today is Thursday, Zoe is either at work or on the golf course. Therefore, Zoe is at work.

-> …………………………………………………………………………..

9 .Most Hampton College students are Republicans. Therefore, Jay is probably a Republican. I
know he voted the straight Republican ticket in the last election. I also know that he regularly
attends meetings of the Young Republicans. Because Jay is probably a Republican, it’s likely that
he favors a constitutional amendment banning abortion. (Jay is a Hampton College student; Missing
premise: Anyone who voted the straight Republican ticket in the last election and regularly attends
meetings of the young Republicans is probably a Republican;

-> …………………………………………………………………………..

10 .Everything in this world will come to an end. So, my life will come to an end, and all the
consequences of my life will come to an end. Thus, my life is meaningless, and so is everything
else.

-> …………………………………………………………………………..