First Mid-Term

University of Saskatchewan
PHIL 140.3 M0X (TX)
Critical Thinking
IN-CLASS EXAM I

Instructor: B.G. Wiebe
Location:
Time:

PART A (1% each)

1. Which of the following passages includes argument?: a. John and Joan are in love. They met last month.
b. Every house in the village had a blue roof. Some houses had blue trim.
c. Jerry was six feet tall when he died, so he simply will not fit in this five foot coffin.
d. Many hands make light work. Walk a mile in my shoes.
e. All of the above
2. What is wrong with this definition? "A dog is a four legged animal.": a. No Genus
b. Obscure
c. Negative
d. Too broad
e. All of the Above
3. In the following passage which propositions are asserted? "The Dean acknowledges that my students will do well on this exam.": a. The exam is very short.
b. The Dean acknowledges that my students will do well on this exam.
c. My students will do well on this exam.
d. Both b. and c
e. All of the above
4. Which statement is a premise of this argument? "Since Monica Lewinsky did not know her story would be revealed, it is unreasonable to think she is part of a conspiracy against the president, because she could not have known that she was being taped.": a. Monica Lewinsky did not know her story would be revealed.
b. She is a part of a conspiracy against the president.
c. It is unreasonable to think that she is part of a conspiracy against the president.
d. She could not have known that she was being taped.
e. Both a. and d.
5. Identify the fallacy in this argument: "Clinton has been arguing that he should not be impeached, but what credence can we give someone who had such a sordid affair?": a. Ad hominem
b. Straw Person
c. Appeal to Pity
d. Equivocation
e. Appeal to Force

PART B (3% each)

6. Which of the following passages includes argument?: a. If you are sixty-four then you can retire. You are sixty-four. Therefore you can retire.
b. Every tree has leaves and roots. Most trees have bark. Most trees have branches.
c. I called you because your number was on my machine.
d. If you drink and drive, then you are a bloody idiot. If spring comes early, it will be appreciated. When are you going to the "States"?
e. All the above
7. Which of the following passages does not include argument?: a. Clinton has had affairs before so the claims about this one are likely true.
b. The tire is losing air because you've driven over a nail.
c. If wishes were horses then beggars would ride. But beggars don't ride, So wishes aren't horses.
d. The oriental game called go is superior to chess. The rules are simpler but the strategy more difficult.
e. There is smoke going out the chimney, so he must be at home.
8. What is wrong with this definition? "FRIENDSHIP is not having to be alone.": a. Obscure
b. Circular
c. Too Vague
d. Negative
e. All of the above
9. What is wrong with this definition? "The ELEPHANT is the land animal with the thickest skin.": a. Circular
b. Too Vague
c. Non Essential
d. Metaphorical
e. Negative
10. What is wrong with this definition? "A CIRCLE is a circular shape.": a. Too Vague
b. Circular
c. Metaphorical
d. Obscure
e. Negative
11. What is wrong with this definition? "A HOUSE is a one story dwelling.": a. No Genus
b. Circular
c. Too Narrow
d. Negative
e. Too Broad
12. In the following argument which statement (or statements) is NOT a premise (are NOT premises)? "If an object can taste blue, then an object can smell smooth. No object can smell smooth. So an object cannot taste blue.": a. If an object can taste blue, then an object can smell smooth.
b. No object can smell smooth.
c. An object cannot taste blue.
d. Both a. and b.
e. All of the above
13. Which premises work as a "T" in this argument? Clinton should resign because he himself said that an honorable man would resign in such a case, and one should do as one says. Besides the Democratic Party will be stronger in the year 2000 if he resigns.: a. "Clinton should resign." and "He himself said that an honorable man would resign in such a case."
b. "He himself said that an honorable man would resign in such a case." and "One should do as one says."
c. "One should do as one says." and "The Democratic Party will be stronger in 2000 if he resigns."
d. "He himself said that an honorable man would resign in such a case." and "The Democratic Party will be stronger in 2000 if he resigns."
e. All of the above.
14. What is the assumed premise in the following argument? "All politicians are liars, so Clinton is a liar.": a. All liars are politicians.
b. Every politician is Clinton.
c. Clinton is a politician.
d. No liars are politicians.
e. Some liars are politicians.
15. Identify the fallacy in this argument: "The only reason people are saying that my husband had an affair is because there is a right wing conspiracy against the president to stop his good work.": a. Poisoning the well
b. Gamblers Fallacy
c. Equivocation
d. Illicit Contrast
e. Continuum
16. Identify the fallacy in this argument: No one has proven that the Prime Minister ordered the RCMP to remove the protesters at the APEC conference. So you can conclude that he didn't.: a. Illicit Contrast
b. False Alternative
c. Ad hominem
d. Appeal to Ignorance
e. Composition
17. Identify the fallacy in this argument: "All Hepatitus C victims will suffer horribly so the government should compensate them all.": a. Appeal to Emotion
b. Contrary to Fact Hypothesis
c. Continuum
d. Slippery Slope
e. Appeal to ignorance
18. Identify the fallacy in this argument: "I know that I'm not dreaming right now because as the Beatles said in their song: 'I know when it's a dream'.": a. Appeal to Pity
b. Appeal to popularity
c. Non Sequitur
d. Special Pleading
e. Appeal to Authority
19. Identify the fallacy in this argument: "Either the world is flat like a pancake or round like a ball, but we know that it is not flat like a pancake because from height one can see the curvature.": a. Ad Hominem
b. Poisoning the Well
c. Contrary to Fact Hypothesis
d. False Alternative
e. Appeal to Authority
20. Identify the fallacy in this argument: "The President's position is that one should be pardoned if one said one was sorry. Well at that rate we'll be pardoning all kinds of rapists and murderers.": a. Illicit Contrast
b. Appeal to ignorance
c. Straw Person
d. Subjectivism
e. Division; PART C (5% each)

21. Which of the following passages includes argument?: a. Every White House intern has had sex with the president, for we know that one of them did.
b. The Beatles were famous because of their music.
c. Spring will arrive again in a couple of months. And after spring will come summer.
d. The sky is blue, as the atmosphere absorbs light of some colours and not others.
e. All the above.
22. Which premises work as a "V" in this argument? "The Earth is round because if you go high you can see the curvature; also NASA could not carry off the kind of conspiracy needed to fool us all, since people are so bad at keeping secrets.": a. "The Earth is round." and "If you go high you can see the curvature."
b. "If you go high you can see the curvature." and "NASA could not carry off the kind of conspiracy needed to fool us all."
c. "If you go high you can see the curvature." and "People are so bad at keeping secrets."
d. "NASA could not carry off the kind of conspiracy needed to fool us all." and "People are so bad at keeping secrets."
e. None of the Above
23. What is asserted in this statement? "My wife knows that the Pope is Catholic, and trout don't live in trees.": a. Trout don't live in trees.
b. The Pope is Catholic.
c. The Pope is Catholic, and trout don't live in trees.
d. My wife knows that the Pope is Catholic, and trout don't live in trees.
e. All of the Above.
24. What is asserted in this statement? "The White House Interns who have had sex with the president will be found jobs by the president's friends.": a. The White House Interns have had sex with the president.
b. Those of the White House Interns having had sex with the president will be found jobs by the president's friends.
c. The White House Interns will be found jobs by the president's friends.
d. Both a. and c.
e. None of the above.
25. Which premise is also a conclusion (intermediate) in this argument? "If Clinton is caught lying about having had the affair with Lewinsky, then people will immediately think that he also counselled her to lie about it. After all, it is not very likely that he would tell her to tell the world about it. So even if he only had the affair and the more serious charge was fabricated he will be in big trouble if the truth of the affair comes out.": a. If Clinton is caught lying about having had the affair with Lewinsky, then people will immediately think that he also counselled her to lie about it.
b. It is not very likely that he would tell her to tell the world about it.
c. Even if he only had the affair and the more serious charge was fabricated he will be in big trouble.
d. Even if he only had the affair and the more serious charge was fabricated he will be in big trouble if the truth of the affair comes out.
e. It will come out that the affair was true.
26. Which concept would have to be added to diagram this list? HUMANITIES, ENGLISH, PHILOSOPHY, CHEMISTRY?: a. PHYSICS
b. PSYCHOLOGY
c. HISTORY
d. NATURAL SCIENCES
e. SOCIAL SCIENCES
27. Which of these concepts are related as genus and species?: a. MAMMALS and WHALES
b. FISH and GILLS
c. SOAP and WATER
d. INSECT and HOUSE FLY
e. Both a.) and d.)
28. Identify the fallacy in this argument: "The prof did not like my comments; after all he told Sally that her comments were insightful, but didn't really have anything to say about mine.": a. Illicit Contrast
b. Hasty Generalization
c. Subjectivism
d. Appeal to Ignorance
e. Appeal to Tradition
29. Identify the fallacy in this argument: "The world is round because it is just what I believe.": a. Appeal to Authority
b. Appeal to Emotion
c. Subjectivism
d. Circular Argument
e. Appeal to Majority
30. Identify the fallacy in this argument: "It is too bad Monica Lewinsky is hiding from the public eye; she would be much more believable if people could get to know her.": a. Contrary to Fact Hypothesis
b. Appeal to Popularity
c. False Alternative
d. Illicit Contrast
e. Subjectivism
Answers: 1:c 2:d 3:d 4:e 5:a: 6:a 7:b 8:d 9:c 10:b 11:c 12:c 13:b 14:c 15:a 16:d 17:a 18:e 19:d 20:c; 21:a 22:b 23:e 24:b 25:a 26:d 27:e 28:a 29:c 30:a