3A
First Semester 2014-15
3rd Quiz
Course Code: HUM 4001
Course Title: Logic and Reasoning in Socio-Ethical Issues
Date: 8 Dec, 2014
Time Allowed: 1 hour
Assessment Weighting: 30% of the course total
Name: ______Student No.:______
Tutorial day: Tue / Wed / Thur (Circle One) Tutorial time: ______
Instructions to Candidates
· Put all the answers in this paper.
· There are altogether 3 sections, and the mark distribution is explained in the respective sections.
· Total marks: 100
Section One (60 Marks)
Multiple choice questions: Circle the best answer.
1. Is the following paragraph an argument? If so, what is its conclusion?
There appears to be a growing happiness gap between men and women. Women today are working more and relaxing less, while men are working less and relaxing more. Forty years ago a typical woman spent 40 minutes more per week than the typical man performing an activity considered unpleasant. Today, with men working less, the gap is 90 minutes and growing.
a. / Argument; conclusion: Today ... the gap is 90 minutes and growing.b. / Nonargument.
c. / Argument; conclusion: Forty years ago ... an activity considered unpleasant.
d. / Argument; conclusion: There appears to be ... between men and women.
e. / Argument; conclusion: Women today are working more and relaxing less.
2. Identify and evaluate the following argument:
The engraved plate beneath this painting in the art museum says "Picasso." Therefore, the painting must be the work of Picasso.
a. / Inductive, valid.b. / Inductive, weak.
c. / Deductive, valid.
d. / Inductive, strong.
e. / Deductive, sound.
3. Given the following statement:
(N É K) º (K É N)
The statement is:
a. / Contingent.b. / Inconsistent.
c. / Consistent.
d. / Tautologous.
e. / Self-contradictory.
4. Given the pair of statements:
R ⊃~M; M ⊃R
These statements are:
a. / Inconsistent.b. / Invalid.
c. / Logically equivalent.
d. / Contradictory.
e. / Consistent.
5. Which of the following statement is a self-contradiction?
a. If Jackie is a woman, Jackie is not a woman.
b. Jackie is a woman and Jackie is not a woman.
c. There are no women.
d. No women are men.
e. All women are women.
For questions 6 to 10, choose the answer that best characterizes each argument.
6. Karen argues that it's not right to post the photographs of convicted child molesters on the Internet. Obviously Karen supports child molestation. But these monsters have completely ruined the lives of thousands of children. They can't be allowed to harm any child any longer. Clearly, Karen's argument is misguided.
a. / Missing the point.b. / No fallacy.
c. / Red herring.
d. / Straw man.
e. / Argument against the person, circumstantial.
7. Every member of the Dance Society was born in 90’s. Therefore, the Dance Society was born in 90’s.
a. / No fallacy.b. / Complex question.
c. / Composition.
d. / Hasty generalization.
e. / Division.
8. The number of drug addicts has risen steadily for the past 20 years, and so has the number of treatment centers. Therefore, to cut down on drug abuse we should eliminate the treatment centers.
a. / Appeal to ignorance.b. / False cause.
c. / Weak analogy.
d. / Red herring.
e. / No fallacy.
9. Those boarding a bus are never required to pass through a security checkpoint. Therefore, those boarding an airliner should not be required to pass through a security checkpoint.
a. / Begging the question.b. / False cause.
c. / Weak analogy.
d. / No fallacy.
e. / Missing the point.
10. This curry sauce is delicious. Therefore, every ingredient in this sauce is delicious.
a. / Appeal to the people.b. / Division.
c. / Composition.
d. / Hasty generalization.
e. / No fallacy.
11. What cause is suggested by the information in the following table:
Possible Conditions
Occurrence A B C D E F Phenomenon
1 * * * * − * *
2 * * − − * − *
3 − * * * − * −
4 * − * − * * −
5 − * * * − * *
6 * − − * − − −
a. C is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for the phenomenon.
b. A is a sufficient but not a necessary condition for the phenomenon.
c. B is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for the phenomenon.
d. D is a sufficient but not a necessary condition for the phenomenon.
e. F is a sufficient and necessary condition for the phenomenon.
12. Suppose that there is a correlation between the number of drug abuse and number of teen pregnancy in HK. As the number of drug abuse increases, the number of teen pregnancy increases, and vice versa. We conclude drug abuse causes teen pregnancy. What method do we use in drawing this conclusion?
a. The method of concomitant variation.
b. The method of agreement.
c. The method of difference.
d. The method of residues.
e. The joint method of agreement and difference.
Section Two (15 Marks)
1. According to the following statement, name a triggering cause and a structural cause of Simon’s death:
Simon committed suicide because he broke up with his girlfriend and he had no access to counselling service.
Triggering cause: ______his breaking up with his girlfriend______
Structural cause: ______no access to counselling service______
2. Suggest one reason why the following correlation may not show that there is a casual relation between the two events?
The graduates of expensive MBA programmes earn higher incomes than those of less expensive MBA programmes.
The students of expensive MBA programmes have already been earning high incomes so that they can afford the expensive programmes.
Section Three (25 Marks)
a) Using the provided key, translate the following propositions into symbolic form of propositional logic (5 marks each).
P: I pass the exam.
H: I have a bachelor degree.
G: I get the job.
A: I apply the job.
1. That I apply the job is a necessary condition for me to get the job.
___G ⊃ A______
2. I will get the job if and only if I have a bachelor degree and apply the job.
___G º (H · A)______
3. If either I pass the exam or have a bachelor degree, I will get the job.
__(P v H) ⊃ G______
4. I will apply and get the job unless I fail the exam.
__(A · G) v ~P______
b) Use indirect truthtable to show that the following statements are consistent (5 marks).
P / v / Q / / / (Q / v / R) / É / G / / / (G / ≡ / R) / · / P / / / ~ / Q / · / ~ / GT / T / F / F / F / F / T / F / F / T / F / T / T / T / F / T / T / F
END OF PAPER
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