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Name: _____________________
Critical Thinking – Spring 2019
Test 2 – Logic

For the following questions, (i) formalize the argument, (ii) construct and complete a truth table,
and (iii) evaluate that truth table. For your evaluation, determine whether the argument is a
tautology, contingent, or contradictory, and decide whether it is valid or invalid.
Please interpret disjunctions exclusively.

1.! Either the USS Arizona or the USS Missouri was not sunk in the attack on Peal Harbor.
Therefore, it is not the case that either the USS Arizona or the USS Missouri was sunk in
the attack on Pearl Harbor.
a: USS Arizona was sunk in the attack on pearl Harbor
m: USS Missouri was sunk at the attack on Pearl Harbor
(-a v -m) -> -(a v m)

2.! If racial quotas are adopted for promoting employees, then qualified employees will be
passed over. But if racial quotas are not adopted, then prior discrimination will go
unaddressed. Either racial quotas will or will not be adopted for promoting employees.
Therefore, either qualified employees will be passed over or prior discrimination will go
unaddressed.

r: radical quotas are adopted for promoting employees

q: qualified employess will be passed over
d: prior discrimination will be addresseed
((r -> q)(-r -> -d)(r v -r)) -> (q v -d)
! 2

3.! If an android is a person, then it’s rational. A person is rational, angels are rational, and
God is rational. But no android is rational, so it is not a person.
a: andriod is a preson
r: andriod is rational
w: angels are rational
p: A person is rational
g: God is rational
((a -> r)(wpg)(-r)) -> (-a)

4.! Androids can solve problems and they can deliberate. And if they can either deliberate or
solve problems, then they’re rational. So androids are rational.
a: andriods can solve problems
d: andriods can deliberate
r; Andriods are rational
((ad)((a v d) ->r)) -> r
! 3

5.! If an android is rational, then it’s conscious, and if it’s conscious, then it has reflective
mental activity. But no android has reflective mental activity, so it’s not rational.
r: andriod is rational
c: andriod is conscious
m: andriod has reflective memory activity
((r -> c)(c -> m)(-m)) -> (-r)

6.! Either a soul is a material entity or it’s a nonmaterial entity. If a soul is a material entity,
then if an android is material, it could have a soul. Now an android is material. If God can
do anything, God could infuse a soul into an android. Thus, an android could have a soul.
m: soul is a material entity
a: andriod is material
s: andrios could have a soul
g: god can do anything
i: god can infuse a soul into an andriod
((m v -m)(m ->(a ->s))(a)(g -> i)) -> s
! 4

7.! Whatever we do is caused by our biological make-up or by our social conditioning. But if
it’s caused by our biological make-up, then it’s determined. Also, if it’s caused by our
social conditioning, then it’s determined. And if it’s determined, then it’s not free. Thus,
whatever we do is not free.
b: whatever we do is caused by our biological make-up
s: whatever we do is cause by our social conditioning
t: then what we do is determined.
f: what we do is free.
((b v s)(b->t)(s->t)(t->-f)) -> (-f)

8.! Feelings are either mental or they are physical. If they are mental, then they are brain
states, and if they are brain states, then androids could have them. All physical things are
arrangements of atoms. If all brain states are physical things, then they are mere
arrangements of atoms. And if feelings are physical, then androids could have them. Thus,
androids can have feelings.
m: feelings are mental
p:feelings are physical
b: feelings are brain states
a: andriods could have feelings
r: physical things are an arrangement of atoms
((m v p)((m -> b)(b->a))(r)((pb)->r)(p->a))->a
! 5

9.! If Melinda spends the night studying, she will miss the party. But if she does not spend
the night studying, she will fail the test tomorrow. Melinda either spends the night
studying or not studying. Therefore, she will either miss the party or fail the test.
m:melinda spent the night studying
p: melinda will miss the party
f: melinda will fail the test tomorrow
((m->p)(-m->f)(m v -m)) -> (p v f)

10.!If we build our home in the valley, it will be struck by floods. And if we build it on the
hilltop, it will be hit by lightning. We build our home either on the valley or on the hilltop.
Therefore, our home will either be struck by floods or hit by lightning.
b: we build our home in the vally
f: home will be struck by floods
h: we build our home on the hilltop
l: home wil be hit by lightning
((b->f)(h->l)(b v h))->(f v l)
! 6

11.!If we prosecute suspected terrorists, then we risk retaliation by other terrorists. If we

release terrorists, then we encourage terrorism. We either prosecute or release suspected
terrorists. Therefore, we either risk retaliation by other terrorists or encourage terrorism.
p: we persecute suspected terrorist
r: we risk retaliation
t: we release terrorist
e: we encourage terrorism
((p->r)(t->e)(p v t)) -> (r v e)

12.!If the Mitchells get a divorce, they will live separately in poverty. If they stayed married,
they will live together in misery. They either get a divorce or stayed married, so they will
either live separately in poverty or together in misery.
m:the mitchells get a divorce
s: they will live seperatly in poverty
t: together in misery
((m->s)(-m->t)(m v -m)) -> (s v t)
! 7

13.!If TV viewing provides genuine relaxation, then TV enhances the quality of life. But TV
viewing does not provide genuine relaxation. Therefore, TV does not enhance the quality
of life.
t:tv viewing provides genuine relaxation
q: tv viewing enhances the quality of life
((t->q)(-t)) -> (-q)

14.!Either the dinosaurs were not cold-blooded or they were not the ancestors of modern
birds. The dinosaurs were not the ancestors of modern birds if they are cold-blooded.
Therefore, the dinosaurs were not cold-blooded.
c:the dinosaurs were cold-blooded
a: they were the ancestors of modern birds
((-c v a)(c-> -a)) -> (-c)
! 8

15.!If tax credits are given for private education, then the government will be supporting
religion. If tax credits are not given for private education, then some parents will end up
paying double tuition. Either tax credits will or will not be given for private education.
Therefore, either the government will be supporting religion or some parents will end up
paying double tuition.
t: tax credit is given for private education
g: the goverment will be supporting religion
p: some parents will ay tuition
((t->g)(-t->p)(t v -t)) -> (g v p)