Utter Chaos
As we all know, Logic is the science and art of reasoning well. But what, my friends, is REASONING?
Reasoning is drawing proper conclusions from evidence.
Explain (in your own words) what it means to arrange terms in order of increasing extension. What would the equivalent be in reference to intension?
To arrange terms so that they get increasingly broad in meaning. In other words, decreasing intension.
A precising definition.
Woods: a group of trees.
What is wrong with this definition?
Too broad: trees can be standing in a line - and a line of trees does not = woods.
Give a persuasive definition of the term "Monday."
Monday is a lie.
Name and define the three Laws of Thought.
Law of the Excluded Middle - statements must be T or F.
Law of Non-Contradiction - statements can't be T and F.
Law of Identity - if a statement is T, it is T.
Arrange these terms in order of decreasing extension: game, DND, role-playing game.
game, role-playing game, DND
Which definition reduces ambiguity? Give an example of an ambiguous term.
Lexical definition. Game. Ball. Chip.
Whisper - to talk softly, without using your vocal chords. What is wrong with this definition?
Whisper is a noun, while to talk is a verb, hence they are not the same part of speech.
Give a precising definition for the term "ancient."
"Ancient" can describe any thing or event that originated before or during the fall of Rome. OR - anything that occurred before the invention of the internet.
We all love a good argument. But, to everything there is a season. In what three contexts would it be unproductive to argue with someone?
1) When it would be socially or morally inappropriate, ex. with your parents, or the king of England
2) When neither you nor the other person has any real knowledge about the subject being argued
3) When the other person is angry, or otherwise unable to reason
Arrange these terms in order of increasing intension: knight, man, being, Sir Bedevere, mortal.
being > mortal > man > knight > Sir Bedevere.
In the world's best film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the French knight comments to King Arthur: "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."
What type of definition is this?
Persuasive
What is wrong with the following definition: to run - the action of moving your legs fast enough so that, while moving forward, both feet are off the ground at the same time.
Rule #6 is broken. The term and its definition must be the same part of speech. "To run" is a verb. "The action" is a noun
Give two lexical definitions of the term "pen."
A pen - a writing utensil which uses ink.
A pen - a fenced-in area, commonly used for livestock or animals.
"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."
This well-known saying by Mark Twain hinges on this quality of some multi-valenced terms?
Ambiguity.
When creating Genus and Species charts, a number of errors can be produced. Name and define three.
1) Whole-to-Parts Error
2) Ambiguous Genus Error
3) Species are not mutually exclusive (they overlap)
In the editorial to the London Times titled "What is Relativity?" (November 28, 1919) Albert Einstein wrote, "The most important upshot of the special theory of relativity [was that] the inertia of an item necessarily depends upon its energy content, and this led straight to the notion that inert mass is simply latent energy." What type of definition is this.
Theoretical definition.
To propose - when a man assumes a semi-recumbent posture as a prequel to impending matrimonial overtures. What 3 rules does this definition break?
1) unclear
2) not the same part of speech
3) too narrow, women can propose too; not all proposals involve marriage
Give a proper genus and difference definition of the term "cereal."
A food made from grains, often eaten for breakfast.
What is a wookilar?
A creature with the body of the man and the snout of a pig, known to feed upon the brains of the unwary.
When two species in a Genus and Species chart overlap, we say that the chart contains an error because two different ________ ________ were used.
Dividing principles.
1) Lexical 2) Precising 3) Stipulative 4) Theoretical 5) Persuasive
6. same part of speech > 5. stated positively if possible > 4. not unclear or figurative > 3. not too broad or too narrow > 2. not circular > 1. state essential attributes
Give a proper genus and difference definition of the term "progger."
A person who digs for clams.