Solutions

Assignment # 1: 1.1 (pgs. 8-9)

1.1, Section I

(1) Invalid, all true premises, true conclusion.

(a) All emeralds are green.

(b) All green things are colored.
(c) Horses exist.

(2) Invalid, all true premises, false conclusion.

(a) All emeralds are green.

(b) All green things are colored.
(c) There are no horses.

(3) Invalid, all false premises, true conclusion.

(a) Rubies are black.

(b) Swans are purple.
(c) Grass is green.

(4) Invalid, all false premises, false conclusion.

(a) Rubies are black.

(b) Swans are purple.
(c) Grass is pink.

(5) Valid, premises all false, conclusion true.

(a) If you have lungs, then youre an insect.

(b) If youre an insect, then youre a mammal.
(c) If you have lungs, then youre a mammal.

(6) Valid, premises all false, conclusion false.

(a) All green things are blue.

(b) All blue things are red.
(c) All green things are red.
(7) Valid, premises all true, conclusion true.

(a) If you have lungs, then youre a mammal.

(b) If youre a mammal, then youre a vertebrate.
(c) If you have lungs, then youre a vertebrate.

This last example is an example of a sound argument. The purpose of the foregoing exercises is
for you to really learn that valid arguments need neither have true premises nor a true conclusion.
Validity concerns the logical relationship between the premises and the conclusion. Consider the
following table as a summation:

Conclusion True Conclusion False

Premises all True Valid/Invalid Invalid only

At least one false premise Valid/Invalid Valid/Invalid

Make sure you understand this correctly.

1.1, Section II

If an argument is valid, then it is impossible that its premises be true and its conclusion be false.
If the premises are true, then the conclusion must alsoneeds betrue. Thus, given that the
argument is both valid and all of its premises are true, the conclusion is also true.