Reference no: EM132452135

Logic can be defined as the study of argumentation. By argumentation, we mean the presentation of evidence and premises in order to draw a conclusion. For example, "That man just came into this room from outside the building. He is soaking wet. People only get wet like that if they get caught in a rainshower. Therefore, it must be raining outside." This simple conclusion is based upon evidence -- the man is wet -- and a premise -- one would not normally be soaking wet unless one were caught in a rainshower. The evidence comes from one's eyes, but the premise is more interesting. One can think of other ways the man could have gotten wet. So is it safe to draw the conclusion? This is what logical analysis studies.

Now I want you to try it. Run through the following premise spotting exercise. The first thing you must do is to separate the evidence from the premise(s). Then figure out what the conclusion is. Finally, you must ask yourself if the premises lead to the conclusion. But before you pass judgment on the conclusion, make sure that you have all of the premises. Many times, a premise will be hidden. Sometimes evidence is hidden.

For example, "There is going to be a war. Russia and France have both moved two tank divisions each to the Polish border." The evidence is the movement of the tank divisions. But what is the premise?

The answer is something like, "Every time Russia and France move troops to the border of Poland, they try to invade it." Or it might be, "The only reason that any nation would have for amassing troops on the border of Poland would be to invade it."

The first premise is based upon further evidence -- the history of Russia and France. The second is an assumption about the purpose and use  of tanks.

By determining what the premises are, you are able to question the validity of the conclusion.

Now you try it in the journal. Each premise spotting exercise is worth three points.

1. "All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality." (source: Martin Luther King Jr., "Letter from Birmingham Jail," 1963)

2. "Genes and proteins are discovered, not invented. Inventions are patentable, discoveries are not. Thus protein patents are intrinsically flawed." (source: Daniel Alroy, "Invention vs. Discovery," The New York Times, March 29, 2000)

3. "We must have filters on our library computers. Our public library must not be used to channel porn. (Ann Arbor News," February 3, 2004)

4. "Democracy has at least one merit, namely, that a member of Parliament cannot be stupider than his constituents, for the more stupid he is, the more stupid they were to elect him." (source: Bertrand Russell, "Autobiography," 1967)

5. "Twenty-eight children in the United States were killed by falling television sets between 1990 and 1997. That is four times as many people as were killed by great white shark attacks in the twentieth century. Loosely speaking, this means that watching 'Jaws' on TV is more dangerous than swimming in the Pacific. (New York Times, 11/6/ 2001)

6. "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts." (source: Sherlock Holmes in Arthur Conan Doyle's "A Scandal in Bohemia," 1891)

7. "One of the fastest ways to put America back to work, Republicans believe, is to limit the regulatory expenses that small firms have to comply with, simply to satisfy federal government regulations," said Sessions. "Regulatory burdens are hindering job growth." In his memo, Cantor targets 10 new or proposed regulations. Seven of them take aim at the Environmental Protection Agency - everything from blocking tougher ozone standards to delaying new anti-pollution equipment requirements for power plants, boilers and cement makers.

8. Kobe Bryant should've won the Most Valuable Player award for 2005-06, because he scored more points than any other player.

9.  Mr. Smith's fingerprints were found on the weapon that killed Mr. Jones.  Furthermore, no other fingerprints were found on the weapon.  Therefore, Mr. Smith killed Mr. Jones.

10. The exercise, training and development of our powers of discriminating among works of art are plainly aesthetic activities. Therefore, the aesthetic qualities of a picture plainly include those that determine how it is to be looked at.