Chapter 1.

6, Problem 10E

Problem

For each of these sets of premises, what relevant conclusion or conclusions can be drawn?
Explain the rules of inference used to obtain each conclusion from the premises.

a) “If I play hockey, then I am sore the next day.” “I use the whirlpool if I am sore.” “I did not use
the whirlpool.”

b) “If I work, it is either sunny or partly sunny.” “I worked last Monday or I worked last Friday.”
“It was not sunny on Tuesday.” “It was not partly sunny on Friday.”

c) “All insects have six legs.” “Dragonflies are insects.” “Spiders do not have six legs.” “Spiders
cat dragon-flies.”

d) “Every student has an Internet account.” “Homer does not have an Internet account.”
“Maggie has an Internet account.”

e) “All foods that are healthy to eat do not taste good.” “Tofu is healthy to eat” “You only eat
what tastes good.” “You do not eat tofu.” “Cheeseburgers arc not healthy to eat.”

f) “I am either dreaming or hallucinating.” “I am not dreaming.” “If I am hallucinating, I see

elephants running down the road”

Step-by-step solution

Step 1 of 13
(a)

The objective is to draw conclusion for the following premises:

If I play hockey, then I am sore the next day.

I use the whirlpool if I am sore.

I did not use the whirlpool.

Define the arguments as shown below:

I play hockey.

I am sore.

I use the whirlpool.

The premises can be written in symbolic form as:

Step 2 of 13
Use inference rules on the premises to get the conclusion.

Step Reason

1. Premise

2. Premise

3. Modus Tollens from (1) and (2)

4. Premise

5. Hypothetical Syllogism from (2) and (4)

6. Modus Tollens from (1) and (5)

From the last step, it can be concluded that “I did not play hockey”.

Therefore, the conclusion is “I did not play hockey”.

Step 3 of 13
(b)

The objective is to draw conclusion for the following premises:

If I work, it is either sunny or partly sunny.

I worked last Monday or I worked last Friday.

It was not sunny on Tuesday.

It was not partly sunny on Friday.

Define the arguments as shown below:

I work on .

It is sunny on .

It is partly sunny on .

The premises can be written in symbolic form as:

Step 4 of 13
Use inference rules on the premises to get the conclusion.

Step Reason

1. Premise

2. Premise

3. Premise

4. Universal instantiation from 2

5. Universal instantiation from 2

6. Disjunctive syllogism from 3 and 5

7.

Modus ponens from 1, 4, and 6

From the last step, it can be concluded that “It was either sunny or partly sunny on Monday or
sunny on Friday”.

Therefore, the conclusion is “It was either sunny or partly sunny on Monday or sunny on
Friday”.

Step 5 of 13
(c)

The objective is to draw conclusion for the following premises:

All insects have six legs.

Dragonflies are insects.

Spiders do not have six legs.

Spiders eat dragonflies.

Define the arguments as shown below:

is an insect, x is a dragonfly, x has legs, x is a spider, and

x eats

Step 6 of 13

The premises can be written in symbolic form as:

Use inference rules on the premises to get the conclusion.

Step Reason

1. Premise

2. Universal instantiation from 1

3. Premise
3. Premise

4. Universal instantiation from 3

5. Hypothetical syllogism from 2 and 4

6. Universal generalization from 5

7. Premise

8. Universal instantiation from 7

9. Contrapositive of 2

10. Hypothetical syllogism from 8 and 9

11. Universal generalization from 10

From the last step, it can be concluded that “All spiders are not insects, or Spiders are not
insects”.

Therefore, the conclusion is “All spiders are not insects, or Spiders are not insects ”.

Step 7 of 13
(d)

The objective is to draw conclusion for the following premises:

Every student has an internet account.

Homer does not have an internet account.

Maggie has an internet account.

Define the arguments as shown below:

is a student.

has an internet account.

The premises can be written in symbolic form as:

Step 8 of 13
Use inference rules on the premises to get the conclusion.

Step Reason

1. Premise

2. Universal instantiation from 1

3. Premise

4. Modus Tollens from 2 and 3

From the last step, it can be concluded that “Homer is not a student”.

Therefore, the conclusion is “Homer is not a student ”.

Step 9 of 13
(e)

The objective is to draw conclusion for the following premises:

All foods that are healthy to eat do not taste good.

Tofu is healthy to eat.

You only eat what tastes good.

You do not eat tofu.

Cheeseburgers are not healthy to eat.

Define the arguments as shown below:

: x is healthy to eat.

: x tastes good.

: You eat .

Step 10 of 13

The premises can be written in symbolic form as:

 Step 11 of 13

Use inference rules on the premises to get the conclusion.

Step Reason

1. Premise

2. Universal instantiation from 1

3. Premise

4. Modus ponens from 2 and 3

5. Premise

6. Universal instantiation from 5

7. Universal instantiation from 1

8. Contrapositive of 6

9. Hypothetical syllogism from 7 and 8

10. Universal generalization form 9

From the last step, it can be concluded that “You do not eat healthy foods”.

Therefore, the conclusion is “You do not eat healthy foods”.

Step 12 of 13
(f)

The objective is to draw conclusion for the following premises:

I am either dreaming or hallucinating.

I am not dreaming.

If I am hallucinating, I see elephants running down the road.

Define the arguments as shown below:

: I am dreaming.

: I am hallucinating.

: I see elephants running down the road.

The premises can be written in symbolic form as:

I am either dreaming or hallucinating.

I am not dreaming.

If I am hallucinating, I see elephants running down the road.

Step 13 of 13
Use inference rules on the premises to get the conclusion.

Step Reason

1. Premise

2. Premise

3. Disjunctive syllogism

4. Premise

5. Modus ponens from 3 and 4

From the last step, it can be concluded that “I see elephants running down the road”.

Therefore, the conclusion is “I see elephants running down the road”.