Please evaluate the following argument:
Some sound arguments are valid
Some valid arguments are arguments with false premises
Some arguments with false premises are arguments with mood and figure OAO-2.
No arguments with mood and figure OAO-2 are sound
Please put this sorites in standard logical form. Once you have the argument in standard logical form, provide the mood and figure for each syllogism. Is this argument valid? Is it sound? Please define the term ‘sorites’. What is an enthymeme? Explain why each premise and the conclusion of the argument is true. (Explain why the intermediate conclusion is also true). Please prove that both syllogisms of the sorites are invalid by means of counterexamples. Prove OAO-2 is invalid by a counterexample. Why might we be tempted to think that this argument is sound? THE INTERMEDIATE CONCLUSION IS GIVEN IN THE HINTS AND YOU MUST USE THIS.
Hints for paper A1:
(1) You may wish to examine the reading on counterexamples and sorites in your course packet.
(2) When you reduce this argument to standard logical form, you will end up with two syllogisms. The example provided at the beginning of homework 2.7 (pages 117-118) will be more useful than the reading. There is also an example on blackboard (lecture notes). Since you will end up with two invalid syllogisms, the hints for enthymemes are worthless.
(3) The intermediate conclusion for the sorites is this: No valid arguments are arguments with mood and figure OAO-2. By the way, this intermediate conclusion is true.
(4) While you must reduce this argument to standard logical form, you do not have to explain the steps you went through to do this.
(5) You will be proving this argument is invalid by means of counterexamples. You do not have to explain why the premises are true and the conclusion false in your counterexamples. This should be obvious. This is one reason why counterexamples focus on dogs and cats.
(6) Give the form for OAO-2. I want to see that you are capable of giving a form, if you are given the mood and figure. Incidentally, neither syllogism that makes up this sorites will have mood and figure OAO-2.
(7) One way to show that a particular statement is true is by proving an example. Let us say that we have this statement: Some valid arguments have true premises. To show that this statement is true, we need only provide an example of a valid argument that has true premises. It is not enough to simply claim that such an instance is possible. Provide one.
(8) Organize your material. Do not treat your writing assignments as though they are a series of questions that you answer one after another. Answer questions where they seem appropriate in your paper. Don’t talk about sorites in the middle of the paper.
(9) Use paragraphs. If your paper consists of one long paragraph, you are probably jumbling several topics together.
(10) If you take something from the reading, say so. If you quote a passage, also explain it in your own words or provide an example. This shows that you understand the material; and you are not merely parroting some remark that you suspect may be relevant. But you do not have to cite page numbers for definitions. The definitions are standard.
(11) Good writing counts. You will be graded on how well the paper is written and organized as well as the information you provide. Incidentally, the material you learned in grammar and writing classes holds in this class as well.
(12) Hints for an enthymeme are not useful for this argument (remember, it’s not valid.)
(13) There is a sample paper and outline available on blackboard.
(14) It is a good idea to make an extra copy of your paper (or to keep the paper on disk).
