College Essays-How are inductive arguments evaluated in comparison to deductive arguments and what makes an argument stronger or weaker?
Read and take notes from Prelude to Philosophy, Chapter 5: “A Little Logic.” As you read, make sure you understand the following points and questions:
· Why are the laws of logic foundational?
· List and explain the 3 laws of logic.
· Know the symbolic expression of the law of non-contradiction and how it clears up confusions.
· Explain the common confusion concerning God and contradictions.
· Know the symbolic expression of the Law of Excluded Middle. Why is it called the Law of Excluded Middle?
· Know the why the laws of logic are self-evident.
· Know the three parts of an argument.
· Distinguish the language of evaluating arguments (deductive and inductive) from how we evaluate propositions.
· Explain the relationship between truth value of the propositions with the validity/strength of the argument.
· Know the point about agreeing with the conclusion of an argument and it being a good argument.
Know the kind of conclusion arrived at by a valid deductive argument.
Contrast induction with deduction.
· How are inductive arguments evaluated in comparison to deductive arguments and what makes an argument stronger or weaker?
· Explain the 6 forms of inductive arguments.
· Know the idea of relevant similarity concerning analogies.
