Addis Ababa University

SSC-campus
LOCT 1011
LOGIC AND CRITICAL THINKING
ASSIGNMENT
Section 12- 2023 G.C

Members
1. Afomiya Teshome UGR/5285/15
2. Arsema Mengistu UGR/9145/15
3. Bethel Ashenafi UGR/3529/15
4. Bithanya Abraham UGR/6713/15
5. Hiwot Alemayehu UGR/4161/15
6. Wubrist Alemu UGR/4407/15
7. Yeabsira Shewangizaw UGR/2669/15

Submitted to: Instructor Belay

Submission date: May 10, 2023
1. Rationally and critically discuss the relation between philosophy and logic. 2%
Logic is a field of philosophy that follows the definition of philosophy of trying to answer
fundamental questions through intensive application of reasoning and logic is the study of
reasoning itself. Logic is also a term assigned to an act of evaluating arguments and the basic
concept of arguing is proving a point or general idea of what the arguer believes to be the
truth and must be accepted.
As logic tries to formulate the principles for right reasoning and ways to evaluate and
analyse one’s own or others arguments. It is involved in the critical and rational enterprise of
philosophy, as it comprises reasoning, rationally criticizing, examining and analysing.
Consequently, logic is manifested in the critical side of philosophy. One of the steps in critical
thinking is reasoning.

2. If you had to argue against ‘affirmative action’ what would be your premises?
Mention at least three. 3%
Taking the case ‘affirmative action to promote gender equity and equality,’
P1: The time has changed. These days, women and men have the same opportunity to
pursue whatever, whenever and wherever they want.
P2: In applying affirmative action, it implicitly implies that ‌women cannot be where men are
even with the same if provided the same opportunity: ‘women can’t.’
P3: It opens a way to focus strategically on a specific part of community promoting the idea
of discrimination.
P4: Enough generation has already paid for what the past men did.
P5- Most Men of this generation respect women's right and are willing to share
responsibilities.

3. Rationally and critically discuss the importance of definitions in the course of an

argument. Mention at least three. 3%
● Since arguments is usually done between arguers that are trying to prove their
points their conclusions and premises might include words that are ambiguous.
Ambiguity might result in defects and misconceptions due to multiple
interpretation of word in single context. Those ambiguities can be avoided by
knowing the possible and proper definitions of the word.
● Arguers in their arguments might use a very odd and noble (new)words or
expressions that might not end up being translated the right way by the listeners
or readers.
● Arguers might use vague words which cause confusion in what applies or doesn’t
to the case that’s being argued. In order to alleviate this problem assigning the
meaning and employing precising definition to those types of words is vitally
essential.

4. Whenever we critically analyse an argument, we should always focus on two

particular aspects of the argument. Discuss what they are and explain how and
what they determine about the argument. 3%
 The two important aspects to note as we try to evaluate arguments are factual claims and
inferential claims embedded in the arguments.
Inferential claims are manifested from ‌inferential links within the premises and
conclusion that form the argument. Inferential claim, claims that the provided premises do
support something which is the conclusion. This claim is all about the reasoning. In logic
whenever we analyse an argument we initially and primarily focus on evaluating the
inferential claim.
On the other hand, factual claims are not decided based on ‘the relationship’ we have
discussed above but based on the actuality/ truth of the premises. Factual claim, claims that
the premises provide evidence. And are pursued after an inferential link is checked.

5. Briefly discuss the general features of fallacies. Then discuss the peculiar defects of
the five divisions of fallacies mentioned in your text book. 6%
Fallacies are defects in arguments. They are deceptive and trick us to thinking an argument is
good while it’s not. They make argument unsound (for deductive) or uncogent (for
inductive). In our module, 22 fallacies are grouped into five categories. The first one is the
fallacies of relevance, the defect here is the irrelevancy of premises to the conclusion.
Emotional link between premises and conclusion exists rather than a logical one. Secondly,
we get the fallacies of weak induction. As the name implies, the defect is in failing to
achieve a strong inductive argument, which violates the principles of sufficiency. Thirdly, the
fallacy of presumption presents a problem of a presumption before trying to prove
something; it is trying to prove a presumed argument. The next are the fallacies of
ambiguity. These fallacies are connected with the occurrence of ambiguity in the
arguments. Clearly, the defects lie with ‌the arguments being suspectable for another
interpretation. Finally, we get the fallacies of grammatical analogy introducing
grammatically analogous arguments with good arguments but flawed by the way the
premises transfer an attribute from specific to whole or vice versa.

6. From the 22 fallacies in your text book, identify at least three fallacies from
newspapers, magazines, TV shows or from your personal encounter.3% [N.B. Do
NOT copy ready-made fallacies already used as examples or exercises. YOU should
extract them from resources such as newspapers, magazines, TV shows so on and
so forth.]
A. From personal encounter:
● Our physical fitness course instructor, based on his personal encounter, concluded
that any engineer who has graduated from Ethiopian universities and been at least
‌three years from graduation are physically not fit.
● Fallacy: Weak induction, hasty generalization

B. Childhood experience
You have to make your bed, if not I will spank you. Or we were told we should sleep early, if
not we will be punished.
● Fallacy: Appeal to Force

C. Advertisement
“Good Baby Diaper” casted Actress Selam Tesfaye for their commercials. In the commercial
She says “My child’s comfort is kept because of Good Baby diaper”. People conclude using
Good Baby diaper for their kids will make them love and esteemed as the actress.

● Fallacy: Appeal to the people (Argumentum ad Populum), Appeal to vanity.

Reference

G/meskel, T., Teklay, A., & Mamo, Z. (2019), Logic and Critical Thinking Module, Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Science and Higher Education

Hurley, P. J., & Watson, L. (2018), A Concise Introduction to Logic, 13th edition, Wadsworth,
Cengage learning

Hurley, P. J., & Watson, L (2014) A Concise Introduction to Logic, 12th edition, Wadsworth,
Cengage learning

Sacks, D., & Thiel, P. (1996), ‘The Case Against Affirmative Action,’ Stanford Magazine,
https://stanfordmag.org/contents/the-case-against-affirmative-action