Chapter 3 - Basic Logical Concepts
Chapter 3 - Basic Logical Concepts
Chapter 3 - Basic Logical Concepts
1. Lucky got A for her online tests. Her straight A show that she really had good study habits.
Assumption(s): 1/ Lucky did not cheat in her online tests; 2/ Teachers did not reduce test difficulty or go
easy on marking for online tests; 3/ Lucky did not have any individual favor from her teachers.
2. Petrol prices have hit another record high due to the impact of Russia-Ukraine conflict. Prices of other
necessity goods will go up soon.
Assumption(s): 1/ Petrol prices have climbed higher and higher; 2/ Petrol prices control prices of other
necessity goods (necessity goods need transporting and distributing to places for consumption)
3. Kim should choose badminton for her PE course. She’s a great basketball player.
4. Joe couldn’t have been involved in the crime. He was sitting with me in the Starbucks café when the crime was
reportedly committed.
Assumption(s): 1/ a person cannot be at two places at the same time; 1/ Indirect involvement (hiring
others) is not a criminal act
5. BA students currently make the biggest group at IU. I’m confident that they will find jobs easily after
graduation.
Assumption(s): 1/ Work market needs BA graduates for at least four more years; 2/ BA students at IU
choose their major because of its job potentials, not because of other advantages (low entry score,
governmental support)
Further practice: Find the assumptions
1. Some groups submitted correct assumption answers which are identical to the sample
answers of the last semester. This shows that great minds always think the same.
2. My students are not quite strong at assumption questions. I need to give them more
questions for practice.
3. Results of individual homework quizzes last semesters show that students have
recycled the answers released by their friends who have passed the course. Therefore,
the teacher must change the questions to stop cheating.
To cope with the emerging Covid-19 variants, many countries have pushed their people to take booster
vaccine shots. In country X, apart from the two basic shots, the authorities is planning other booster
vaccines for its people. These authorities believe that their plan will keep country safe from the new Covid-
19 variants.
Premise:
In country X, apart from the two basic shots, the authorities is planning other booster vaccines for its people.
Conclusion: The authorities believe that their plan will keep country safe from the new Covid-19 variants.
“I took an IELTS test more than two years ago and I achieved band 6. My IELTS
certificate expired when I applied to University X, so I had to take the IELTS-format test
offered by the university. However, I only scored band 5. I’m sure either the university’s
IELTS-format test or its marking has problems.”
Premises:
1. I took an IELTS test more than two years ago and achieved band 6
2. I had to take the IELTS-format test offered by the university and only scored band 5
Conclusion: The university’s IELTS-format test or its marking has problems.
Assumption(s):
3. The IELTS-format test at he university is the same as the IELTS test regarding difficulty.
4. Her/His English skills were still the same when she/he took IELTS-format test at the
university.
“The balancing doll is strong because he can always stand up from falls.
So, I want that later you will be like that balancing doll. No matter how
falls.
► Conclusion: So, I want that later you will be like that balancing doll.
► Unwarranted assumption: No matter how many falls, you will always have
► Evaluation:
It’s ideal when reality is the same as expectation. However, it is not always the
10
Observe and answer
Generalization General
(theory) premise
Conclusion
(hypothesis) Specific
premise
Pattern
Conclusio
Premise Premise Premise n
(observation) (observation) (observation)
Two basic categories of human reasoning
Deduction: reasoning from general premises,
which are known or presumed to be known, to more
specific, certain conclusions (formal reasoning)
Diễn giải: suy luận từ những tiền đề chung, đã
biết hoặc được cho là đã biết, đến những kết luận
chắc chắn, cụ thể hơn (suy luận chính thức)
Today, some late students in our class said they had to take the
booster vaccine shot.
Probably all students were late today because of booster vaccination.
INDUCTIVE REASONING
DEDUCTIVE REASONING
Deductive vs. Inductive reasoning
Deductive or inductive?
Task: Reorder the statements and decide if it is deductive or inductive.
Reordered argument: 1, 6, 2, 7, 4, 3, 5
→ Deductive argument
Deductive or inductive?
All of Stephen King’s previous novels have been good. Therefore, Stephen
King’s next novel will probably be good.
→ Inductive argument
Your turn: Deductive or inductive?
Police’s argument:
16.
1. According to Vietnamese traffic law, 16 year-olds can only ride 50cc motorbikes.
2. You rode a 50+cc motorbike while you are under 16. (specific premise)
→ Deductive argument
Your turn: Deductive or inductive?
On-looker’s argument:
1. The police stopped two teenagers on their way to school. (observation 1)
2. One teenager was wearing the red scarf for secondary school. (observation 2)
So I guess the two teenagers were being fined for underage driving. (conclusion)
→ Inductive argument
Your turn: Deductive or inductive?
o
Common flu symptoms: fever over 100.4 F (38 C), aching muscles, chills and sweats,
headache, dry, persistent cough, fatigue and weakness, nasal congestion, sore throat
(pattern)
Tim is having a fever. (observation/specific premise 1)
→ Inductive argument
Tim is having a dry, persistent cough. (observation/specific premise 3)
Your turn: Deductive or inductive?
I’m a woman.
→ Deductive argument
Deductive arguments’ claims
certainly definitely
absolutely conclusively
It logically follows that
It is logical to conclude that
This logically implies that
This entails that
Inductive arguments’ claims
Generalization If the premises are true,
(theory)
the conclusion is
probably true.
Conclusion The conclusion follows
(hypothesis)
probably from the
premises.
It is unlikely for the
Pattern
premises to be true and
the conclusion false.
The conclusion is
Premise Premise Premise
(observation) (observation) (observation) probably true if the
premises are true.
Sample inductive reasoning
probably likely
One would expect that
It is plausible to suppose that
It is reasonable to assume that
Chances are that
Odds are that (Tỷ lệ cược là)
Application: Deductive or inductive?
Deductive
Inductive
COMMON PATTERNS OF DEDUCTIVE REASONING
1. Hypothetical syllogism
(Thuyết tam đoạn luân dựa trên những giả thuyết)
2. Categorical syllogism
(Thuyết tam đoạn luân dựa trên phân loại)
3. Argument by elimination
(Lập luận bằng sử dụng loại bỏ)
4. Argument based on mathematics
(Lập luận dựa trên toán học)
5. Argument from definition
(Lập luận từ các định nghĩa)
1. HYPOTHETICAL SYLLOGISM
(chain argument – Lập luận dạng chuỗi)
Pattern: If A, then B.
If B, then C.
Therefore, if A then C.
Valid
1. HYPOTHETICAL SYLLOGISM
(modus ponens – affirming the antecedent)
(dạng khẳng định tiền tố)
Pattern: If A, then B.
A.
Therefore, B
Valid
1. HYPOTHETICAL SYLLOGISM
(modus tollens – denying the consequent)
(từ chối hậu quả/vế sau)
If you live in Paris, then you live in France.
You don’t live in France.
Therefore, you don’t live in Paris.
Pattern: If A, then B.
Not B.
Therefore, not A.
Valid
1. HYPOTHETICAL SYLLOGISM
(denying the antecedent)
(từ chối vế trước)
If Mr. Smith is President of the U.S., then
he’s a famous person.
Mr. Smith is not President of the U.S.
Therefore, he’s not a famous person.
Pattern: If A, then B.
Not A.
Therefore, not B.
Invalid
1. HYPOTHETICAL SYLLOGISM
(affirming the consequent)
(khẳng định vế sau)
If you live in Paris, then you live in France.
You live in France.
Therefore, you live in Paris.
Pattern: If A, then B.
B.
Therefore, A.
Invalid
Task: Sort them out.
1. If we’re in London, then we’re in England. We are not in England. So, we
are not in London.
2. If we’re in Los Angeles, then we are in the United States. We are in the
United States. So, we are in Los Angeles.
3. If we’re in the United States, then we are on Earth. We are in the United
States. So, we are on Earth.
Example 1:
Either you are married or you are single by law.
You are not married.
Then you are single by law.
Example 2:
All arguments are either deductive or inductive.
Jack’s argument is not deductive.
Therefore, his argument is ______.
4. Argument based on Mathematics
Question:
The sun is 93 million miles from Earth, and light travels at a rate of
186,000 miles per second. How long does it take for light from the sun to
reach the Earth?
Sunlight travels at a rate of 186,000 miles per second (s). (specific premise)
The sun is more than 93 million miles away from Earth (d). (specific premise)
Therefore, it takes 500 seconds for light from the sun to reach
(conclusion)
the earth.
4. Argument based on Mathematics
1+1=?
1+1=2 (integer)
1 shoe + 1 shoe
= 1 pair of shoes
Major premise: The ideal samurai was supposed to be a stoic warrior who followed an unwritten code of conduct, later formalized
as Bushidō, which held bravery, honour, and personal loyalty above life itself; ritual suicide by disembowelment (seppuku) was
institutionalized as a respected alternative to dishonour or defeat. (Britanica)
Minor premise: The late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was a brave warrior in Japanese political arena, resigned from office when
having health problems, and showed the noble Japanese dedication to his country and people.
Conclusion: Therefore, the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe represents the samurai spirit of Japan.
Deductive validity
Valid deductive arguments: conclusion must follow from premises;
in other words, it’s impossible that all premises are true but the
conclusion is false.
Example 1:
If you want to get a scholarship, you’ll have to study hard.
You certainly want to get the scholarship.
Therefore, you’ll have to study hard.
Valid
Example 2:
If you want to get a scholarship, you’ll have to study hard.
You don’t study hard at all.
Therefore, you will get the scholarship.
Invalid
Deductive validity
Valid deductive arguments: may be sound or unsound
Example 1:
All International University students do their majors in
English.
I’m an International University student.
Therefore, I do my major in English.
Valid and sound (true)
Example 2:
All International University students are aliens.
I’m an International University student.
Therefore, I’m an alien.
Valid but unsound (true)
Generalization of deductive validity
Make an argument and evaluate it
Make an argument and evaluate it
Bill: I’m sure some of the seniors were late to practice this
morning.
Diane: How do you know?
Bill: Because the coach said that if anyone is late to practice
this morning, they would have to run 10 rounds, and I just saw
some of the seniors run 10 rounds. That’ll teach them.
Argument:
If students are late to practice, they have to run 10 rounds.
Some seniors ran 10 rounds this morning.
Therefore, they were late to practice.
If A, then B.
Invalid (affirming the consequent) B.
Therefore, A.
Make an argument and evaluate it
strong
5. Statistical argument
Weak
Stronger
Inductive strengths
Strong inductive arguments: The conclusion is probably
true if the premises are true.
Weak inductive arguments: Premises, even if they are
assumed to be true, do not make the conclusion probable.
Example 1:
Kim told me her family is not affordable for her college tuition.
She has been studying so hard in the last year of high school.
Kim is probably trying to gain a college scholarship.
Strong
Example 2:
About 5% of IU students are international students now. Kim is
an IU student. So she is probably an international student.
Inductive strengths (cont)
DEDUCTIVE OR INDUCTIVE?
Task: Make arguments from the given clues and evaluate them.
Indicate:
- Premises (major/minor premises or observations)
- Conclusion:
- Assumption: (if required)
- Argument pattern: (out of 5 deductive and 6 inductive patterns)
Sample argument 1
Premise + type:
Conclusion:
Argument pattern:
Premise: A Singaporean professor taught for two hours only to realize he was on mute the whole
time. (observation)
Conclusion: His students might have been inattentive to his lecture or they may have kept silent
about the problem to tease their professor.
Argument pattern: Causal argument
Sample arguments 2 + 3
Major premise: All parents have children hitting
each other now and then.
Minor premise: Some siblings who hit each other
during quarantine always bring their parents high
hormones and drama.
Conclusion: Therefore, all parents with siblings
hitting each other during quarantine never run low
on hormones and drama.
Argument pattern: Categorical argument
Premise 1 (Observation): In the game “The Floor is Lava”, if a contestant touches “the lava,” the
show treats them like they’re literally dead.
Premise 2 (Observation): Social distancing keeps you from touching everyone outside to avoid
being literally dead by the virus.
Conclusion: Therefore, you should think of social distancing as a game of “Everyone Outside is
Lava.”
Argument pattern: Argument from analogy
Task 1: Make an argument based on the clue
Premise + type:
Conclusion:
Argument pattern:
Task 2: Make an argument based on the clue
Premise + type:
Conclusion:
Argument pattern:
Task 3: Make an argument based on the clue
Premise + type:
Conclusion:
Argument pattern:
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