Janelle D.

Joco
BSEd 1 Social Studies
Logic and Critical Thinking

Case 1. On Sexual Preference

I think he has the right thing in mind by admitting to himself first his real sexual preference. He must tell
his immediate family members or those persons he trust. By being true to your feelings, make you feel comfortable
for any undertakings he is planning to have. Furthermore, happiness and self-love is supreme above having a manly
image. To the idea of settling down with a partner he just recently met, I personally against to that. For me,
engaging to a relationship requires time to know each other well. He must consider it first.
Admitting true identity to oneself first is important. Some people choose to hide their identity because they
are afraid of being criticized. If he wants to be accepted by others, he must accept himself first. No one is happy by
hiding something within himself. Besides, it is not a problem that needs a solution; it is a reality that needs to be
accepted. Some may not take his revelation nicely, but all that matters is that there are persons who are willing to
accept who you really are.
Case 2. On Grade Rigging
I would not heed to the actions of the professor. If Lawrence really knows that he deserves a higher grade
than the grade given to him by his professor, he may consider other options such as reporting the incidence to
their program head or dean. If they do nothing about it, raise the issue to higher personnel.
If I would consider the professor’s offer, I will just let the professor ruin my dignity as a person. Having a
high academic awards really means a lot but it is not as valuable of having your morale high.
Case 3. On Political Injustice
I would endorse the party, regardless whether they gave financial considerations or not, if I firmly believe
in their principles and ideals. The monetary consideration should not affect whom should I endorse or promote.
The issue regarding the pending project should not bear on my decision because if that project was not performed,
I will accept the backlash of my constituents. I will explain to them that the project does not prosper due to lack of
sufficient funds. If in a simple manner, I cannot explain the real side of the story or of a project, I think I am not
capable of running for a higher position to serve.
Case 4. On Promise-keeping
I will tell my family about my grandmother’s wish. I will not insist it because what is at stake is life. I
will let the family do the decision making. They are more capable of giving right choices. They are also the one
who would shoulder the finances and emotional burden given if they choose to go with life support. If the life
support would just prolong the agony of my grandmother’s body, I’d rather let her go than to see her in pain or in
deep unconsciousness especially when there is no chance of recovery.

II. CRITICAL THINKING PUZZLES (50 PTS)

Direction: Answer the following puzzles, allow your common sense, not your intuition. Justify your answer. (5 points
each)

1. There are six eggs in the basket. Each of the six people take one of the eggs. How can it be that one egg is left in
the basket? Explain your answer.

It does not say the egg taken is coming from the basket. Maybe one of them, get one egg from one of the person
who already get their egg. It must be the reason why there is one egg left in the basket.
2. Three of these statements are untrue,
Mr. Red: “Mr. Blue did it.”
Mr. Blue: “Mr. Red did it.”
Mr. Green: “Mr. Blue’s telling the truth.”
Mr. Yellow: “Mr. Green’s not lying.”
Do you know who did it? Explain your answer.

Mr. Blue did it.

The problem states that three statements are untrue, meaning one statement is true, so we focus on
finding the true statement.
If Mr. Red’s statement is true, it will results to Mr. Blue being the one who did it. I
f Mr. Blue’s statement is true, then it will results to Mr. Red being the one who did it.
If Mr. Green’s statement is true, then it will support Mr. Blue’s argument, therefore they have the same
results, hence, it means both of their statements are untrue.
If Mr. Yellow’s statement is true, it will support Mr. Green’s statement that also supports Mr. Blue’s statement.
Since, Mr. Blue, Mr. Green and Mr. Yellow statements are leading to a common conclusion, therefore they are
the persons with untrue statements.
Mr. Red statement is true

3. Tina and Meena are twins. One of them lies while the other is truthful. I asked one of them, “Does Tina lie?”
“Yes”, was the answer. Did I speak to Tina or Meena Explain your answer.

You speak with Meena.

If Meena is the one telling the truth and Tina is the one telling the lie, once Meena is asked, she will reply Yes,
because she is telling the truth. If Tina is asked, she will respond No because she was lying.
If Tina is the one telling the truth and Meena is the one telling the lie, once Meena is asked, she will reply Yes,
because she is telling the lie. If Tina is asked, she will respond No, because she is telling the truth.

4. A man is trapped in a room. The room has only two possible exits: two doors. Through the first door there is a
room constructed from magnifying glass. The blazing hot sun instantly fries anything or anyone that enters.
Through the second door there is a fire breathing dragon. How does the man escape? Explain your answer.

I will escape through the first door constructed from magnifying glass but I will do it on night time so there will
be no sunlight to burn me.

5. Family Ties. Your mother’s brother’s brother-in-law is also your? Explain your answer.

My mother’s brother is my uncle. My uncle’s brother-in-law may be my father or my other uncle.

He is my father if my mother has no other brother.
He is my other uncle if my mother has a sister who is already married. Therefore, his husband becomes my
uncle’s brother-in-law; so he is also my other uncle

6. How can you throw a ball as hard as you can and have it come back to you, even if it doesn’t hit anything, there is
nothing attached to it, and no one else catches or throws it? Explain your answer.

According to Newton’s Law of Motion, there is an equal or opposite reaction for every action. If I throw the ball
upward or vertically, it will fall down to me because of the gravity. (assuming a perfect vertical throw is
performed)

7. Two students are sitting on opposite sides of the same desk. There is nothing in between them but the desk. Why
can’t they see each other? Explain your answer.

They cannot see each other either they are wearing an eye mask or they are both blind.
It is also possible that they are looking at the opposite directions, so they cannot see each other.
8. There are only two T’s in Timothy Tuttle. True or False? Explain your answer.

True, if we will only count the capital letter T in the word “Timothy Tuttle”.
False, if we will also consider the small letter T in the word.
But if I will choose one, I will pick TRUE.

9. Yes or No? If the day before the day after the day before today was hotter than the day after the day before
today, was the day before today hotter than today? Explain your answer.

Yes.
The technique is to cancel out pair of opposite modifiers: before and after.
On the first clause: “If the day before the day after the day before today” was hotter. There are two
“before” and one “after”, then we can cancel out one “before” and one “after”, leaving only day before today,
which is yesterday.
On the second clause: “hotter than the day after the day before today,”. There are one pair of before and after,
we can cancel out both before and after. Leaving the word today. Simply put as, “ Yesterday was hotter than
today”.
Answering the question, was the day before today hotter than today, may be rephrase as “ was yesterday hotter
tha today”, since the day before today is yesterday. They had the same propositions.

10. Pizza Party. Four friends left one slice of pizza in the kitchen and went into the next room to play games. During
the next half hour, each friend left the room for a few minutes and then returned. At the end of the hour, all four
went back into the kitchen and found that the last slice of pizza was gone.

Use the following statements to figure out who ate it. Only one of the following statements is true.

Linda: “Mike ate it.”

Mike: “Olive ate it.”
Ned: “Who me? Can’t be.”
Olive: “Mike is lying when he says I ate it.”

Ned ate the pizza.

If Linda is telling the truth, then all other three statements are false. Given that scenario, Mike will be
the suspect but it will contradicts Ned’s “false” statement which means he ate the pizza.
If Mike is telling the truth, then all other three statements are false. Given that scenario, Olivia will be
the suspect but it will contradicts Ned’s “false” statement which means he ate the pizza.
If Ned is telling the truth, then all other three statements are false. Given that scenario, Ned will not be
the suspect. Linda’s “false” statement will clear Mike. Mike’s “false” statement will clear Olive. Olive’s “false”
statement will lead to Olive as the suspect which contradicts Mike’s statement.
If Olive is telling the truth, then all other three statements are false. Given that scenario, Olive will not
be the suspect. Linda’s “false” statement will clear Mike. Mike’s “false” statement will clear Olive. Ned’s “false”
statement will mean he ate the pizza.
Since no contrasting views on Olive’s scenario, she is the one telling the truth and her proposition will
lead to Ned as the one who ate the pizza.