Comments on: Morning Cup of Links: Self-Sabotage

By: Michaela

Michaela — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:47:00 +0000

I got 15 out of 15 correct on the logic test. I was rather suprised, since I somewhat guessed on the murder question.

By: Marty

Marty — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:37:00 +0000

I also got #15 wrong, but for a different reason. It was the only one that started with “We can predict that…”

Nothing in the premises prevented us making a incorrect prediction, therefore the argument is valid.

If it had said “Therefore every future examination of water…” it would be invalid.

Kind of makes me sound like a lawyer, doesn’t it?

By: Orange

Orange — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:35:00 +0000

I also got a 15/15 on the logic test, but I have to concede your point, jso. I would not have thought of it like that at all.

By: jso

jso — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:10:00 +0000

Have to disagree on 15 (as was probably expected).

It makes the argument that something may look, act, smell, freeze like water but might not actually be water, but the conclusion in question was that every future examination *of water* would yield the same chemical composition, which should be valid based on assumption a. The conclusion was not based on things that look or act like water, but on examinations of, and only of, water.

By: BassMan

BassMan — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:19:00 +0000

I only got 87% on the logic test, but unlike Betsy or Jeremy it’s because I’m just on drugs.

By: luvlogic

luvlogic — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:59:00 +0000

100% on logic. Not surprising–it was the class in which I had the highest average many years ago. Also the highest average in the class, which made the boys SO mad! Since I am a girl English major!

By: luvlogic

luvlogic — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:45:00 +0000

100% on logic test–not surprised, it was the class in which I had the highest average in college long ago. Also the highest average in the class, which made the guys crazy.

By: Betsy

Betsy — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:38:00 +0000

Yes, I would like to argue about the answers on the logic test – specifically, number 15. I never really studied logic, but isn’t part of the point that we’re supposed to accept the premises? If so, and the composition of water is defined in the first premise, why is it in dispute?

More annoying, though, was the Venn diagram accompanying number one. If they’re not going to be drawn correctly, what’s the point of using Venn diagrams? Pet peeve.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Valid logic that is based on false or misleading information is faulty logic. This is what can make logical thinking dangerous. One false piece of information plugged into a line of reasoning can render the usefulness of logic obsolete.
If I say that I was born in November of 1775, and the DOI was signed in July of the following year, so therefore I lived during the signing of the DOI, I would be explicating a valid but faulty logical argument since the truth is that I was actually born in 1975.

Many people praise logic, but logic is worthless without truth. And while I do believe in the absolute nature of many truths, the elusive nature of our comprehension of truth lends an air of instability to any logical argument.

By: EMStoveken

EMStoveken — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:19:00 +0000

14/15 the could -vs- should tripped me up on the “eat a horse” question. That’s what I get for not slowing down to read the questions a second time.