Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Rules For Valid Syllogisms
Rules For Valid Syllogisms
Argument 1
Major premise: Some
snakes are poisonous
Minor premise: No
mammals are
poisonous
Conclusion:
Therefore, no
mammals are snakes
Valid or Invalid?
Answer: Invalid. The
middle term is not
distributed
Argument 2
Major premise:Left Valid or Invalid?
handers are more prone
to occupational injuries
Answer: Valid.
Minor premise: Jake is
left-handed
Conclusion: Therefore,
Jake is more prone to
occupational injuries.
Argument 3
Major premise:
Students who study
hard get good
grades
Minor premise:
Loretta gets good
grades
Conclusion:
Therefore, Loretta
studies hard
Valid or Invalid?
Answer: Invalid.
Undistributed
middle term, and the
fallacy of affirming
the consequent
Argument 4
Major premise: Either Valid or invalid?
the state must raise taxes
or cut social services
Answer: Valid.
Minor premise: The
state will not raise taxes
Conclusion: Therefore,
the state must cut social
services.
Argument 5
Major premise: No
dog likes cats
Minor premise: all
cats like fish
Conclusion:
Therefore, no dog
likes fish
Valid or invalid?
Invalid
Argument 6
Major premise: If
deforestation continues,
there will be more global
warming
Minor premise: We can
see that there is more
global warming
Conclusion: Therefore,
deforestation must be
continuing
Valid or invalid?
Invalid: the middle term
global warming isnt
distributed, and the
syllogism commits the
fallacy of affirming the
consequent
Argument 7
Major premise: some
chimpanzees can be
potty-trained.
Minor premise:
Bonzo is a chimpanzee
Conclusion:
Therefore, Bonzo can
be potty-trained.
Valid or invalid?
Invalid: the middle term,
chimpanzees, isnt
universal or unqualified
in the major premise.
Argument 8
Three friends are trying
What type of movie(s)
to decide what movie
to see. Their choices
can all three friends
are a foreign film, a
agree on seeing?
violent action
adventure, a mystery, a Answer: a mystery or a
gory sci fi, or a
comedy
comedy.
Trudy Mona Ozzie
Trudy doesnt want to
see a foreign film
Mona prefers not to see
an action adventure
movie
Ozzie doesnt like
violent or gory movies
foreign
action
adventure
X
XX
mystery
science
fiction
comedy
Argument 9
Assume the following
statements are all true:
Nero, the Roman
emperor, regularly
drank from cups made
of pewter that
contained lead.
Anyone who regularly
ingests lead will
develop lead
poisoning. Lead
poisoning always leads
to insanity.