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E. Wanczuk, adapted from: Carbone, Paula. AP Institute. California State University, San Marcos. CSUSM, San Marcos, CA. July 2009. Lecture.
Inductive Reasoning
Begins with particular facts and draws generalizations
of right triangles and observed the unvarying ratio of the sides and angles; from these observations of specific triangles, he induced a general formula.
Deductive Reasoning
Uses a generalization to analyze a new particular
situation. Examples:
Pythagorean Theorem: in your math class, you may use
deductive reasoning by applying Pythagorass general formula to specific triangles you encounter in math problems.
Syllogism
Shows formal logic; deductive reasoning No room for argument; not persuasively interesting
statement.
MAJOR PREMISE: All men are mortal. MINOR PREMISE: Socrates is a man. CLAIM/CONCLUSION: Socrates is mortal.
Covel, Robert. The Three Rs of Teaching Logic: Revelation, Relevance, and Reinforcement. English Journal 99:6 (2010): 47-50. Print.
MAJOR PREMISE: Persons who lack the strength and endurance needed for combat duty should be barred from combat units. MINOR PREMISE: Women are persons who lack the strength and endurance needed for combat duty. CLAIM: Women should be barred from combat units.
If a person lack the strength and endurance needed for combat duty, then that person should be barred from combat units.
Paula M. Carbone
Conditional Syllogism
If you do not study, you will not pass. Bill did not study. Then Bill did not pass.
Covel, Robert. The Three Rs of Teaching Logic: Revelation, Relevance, and Reinforcement. English Journal 99:6 (2010): 47-50. Print.
Alternative Syllogism
Expressed in terms of either-or
Either you study, or you will be a failure in life. John studied. John was not a failure in life.
Covel, Robert. The Three Rs of Teaching Logic: Revelation, Relevance, and Reinforcement. English Journal 99.6 (2010): 47-50. Print.
Covel, Robert. The Three Rs of Teaching Logic: Revelation, Relevance, and Reinforcement. English Journal 99:6 (2010): 47-50. Print.
conclusion must be negative. If both premises are negative, no conclusion is possible (invalid).
Covel, Robert. The Three Rs of Teaching Logic: Revelation, Relevance, and Reinforcement. English Journal 99:6 (2010) 47-50. Print.
Homework:
Read and write down the following syllogism by Ambrose Bierce and explain in one perfectly constructed paragraph why it IS or IS NOT valid. Be specific, referring to your PPT notes and the syllogism to explain your position.
Major Premise: Sixty men can do a piece of work sixty
times as quickly as one man. Minor Premise: One man can dig a posthole in sixty seconds, therefore Conclusion: Sixty men can dig a posthole in one second.
Paula M. Carbone
Unstated Assumption
A claim with reasons depends on logical completeness by relying on an unstated assumption. The unstated assumption is usually the major premise. Often, the unstated assumption needs to be supported in an argument. Formulating the major premise to check arguments helps to indicate the major
The Enthymeme
A compressed syllogism, expressing a syllogism in a
For Example: Women should be barred from combat units because women in combat units will reduce the armys fighting strength.
Paula M. Carbone
Syllogism
Major Premise: Minor Premise: Conclusion:
from combat units because women in combat units will reduce the armys fighting strength.
Paula M. Carbone
Enthymeme
George Orwell did not ruin
use too much detail ruin their stores. Minor Premise: Orwell does not go into too much detail in his Animal Farm. Conclusion: Therefore, Orwell did not ruin Animal Farm.
Covel, Robert. The Three Rs of Teaching Logic: Revelation, Relevance, and Reinforcement. English Journal 99:6 (2010): 47-50. Print.
Practice in Analyzing
"I can urge them to disobey segregation ordinances, for they are morally wrong MLK, Jr. Letter from a Birmingham Jail: discussing morally just and unjust laws. What is the unspoken assumption? Write as syllogism.
Laws that are morally wrong should be disobeyed Segregation ordinances are morally wrong Segregation ordinances should be disobeyed
be accepted by everyone?
Paula M. Carbone
Now, what is the difference between the two? How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust? A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality. It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority. Segregation, to use the terminology of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, substitutes an "I-it" relationship for an "I-thou" relationship and ends up relegating persons to the status of things. Hence segregation is not only politically, economically and sociologically unsound, it is morally wrong and sinful. Paul Tillich has said that sin is separation. Is not segregation an existential expression of man's tragic separation, his awful estrangement, his terrible sinfulness? Thus it is that I can urge men to obey the 1954 decision of the Supreme Court [which outlaws segregation in the public schools], for it is morally right; and I can urge them to disobey segregation ordinances, for they are morally wrong.
Paula M. Carbone
Paula M. Carbone