An overview and analysis of deductive reasoning and logic in Jevons' "A Deadly Indifference."
Analytical Essay # 2931 |
1,051 words (
approx. 4.2 pages ) |
1 source |
1997
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Abstract
This paper deals with the application of macroeconomic principals to real-world problems, by detailing and analyzing instances in which the fictional protagonist makes deductions about criminal behavior patterns by using economic concepts.
From the Paper
"Economics is not something the average person thinks of as being practical in an everyday sense. Most people "excepting those who are economists" are only exposed to economic thinking when they're filing their tax returns, or when they're trying to figure out why Alan Greenspan can announce that he doesn't feel so well today and suddenly the stock market crashes (why is that, anyway?). Fortunately, Professor Henry Spearman is not an everyday person. In fact, the protagonist of Marshall Jevons' "A Deadly Indifference" proves that economic thinking can not only be practical, but can actually solve crimes. This came as no surprise to me, of course, because I am a regular viewer of "The X-Files," where such extraordinary things happen every week."
Tags:asymmetric, choice, functions, hobson, information, interdependent, jevons, logic, macroeconomics, spearman, utility
This essay deals with the issue of how relevance is established for an inductive argument, and how this process can be encouraged and supported based on an argument given by Patrick Hurley in his paper, "A Concise Introduction to Logic".
Analytical Essay # 104865 |
825 words (
approx. 3.3 pages ) |
1 source |
MLA | 2008
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$ 17.95
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Abstract
The author of this paper presents an analysis of inductive reasoning based on Patrick Hurley's text on the terms "necessary" and "sufficient". The author states that it should be somewhat easier to demonstrate relevance for an inductive argument, as the association to be established is not as strong as in deductive reasoning. Also, based on criteria established in this paper,the author asserts that, in order to establish relevance in an inductive argument, one must establish that the criterion being argued for is a necessary condition. However, the author asserts that in order to support establishing relevance for an inductive argument, one should insist that each premise be rigorously examined to ascertain whether it is in fact necessary.
From the Paper
"In Hurley's terms, we might say that what we need to establish relevance for an inductive argument would be to show that the stipulated criterion was a necessary condition. However, because we are only trying to show a probable connection, we do not need to show that the criteria was a sufficient condition, nor do we need to establish that it is relevant by showing that it is a sufficient and necessary condition. In Hurley's terms, what is necessary to evaluate the strength of an argument is to know 'whether the probability of the conclusion rests upon the evidence given in the premises' (Hurley 379). What Hurley is really saying here is that the strength of an inductive argument rests partly on the relevance of its conditions."
Tags:reasoning conditions argument, sufficient condition, deduction
An exploration of the differences between induction, deduction and abduction in philosophical questioning and reasoning.
Persuasive Essay # 135181 |
1,000 words (
approx. 4 pages ) |
1 source |
MLA |
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The paper argues in favour of inductive arguments in philosophy as it requires a most tentative and broad, careful approach. The paper maintains that deduction can be too bound by logic or equations and abduction requires prior knowledge for the person is seeking what is not visible from much on a topic that is visible. The paper explains that the main idea of induction is that of needing to question and respond carefully, avoiding fast conclusions.
From the Paper
"A first year course text states that "philosophy involves constructing and evaluating arguments" in common with other pursuits such as mathematics or economics or people in everyday life. (p.7) However, philosophers also construct arguments of different kinds with different fields of philosophy involving particular kinds of questions and schools of thought on which methods of inquiry are better. Good questions are seen as those that are rationally persuasive in the sense that they give the listener or the person to ask a question a sense that a result or answer is plausible. (p.8)"
Tags:course text, intro, induction
A discussion of how men and women perpetuate sexism.
Argumentative Essay # 122083 |
1,000 words (
approx. 4 pages ) |
3 sources |
MLA | 2008
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$ 21.95
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This paper engages deductive reasoning to prove that both men and women generate and perpetuate sexism. Starting with a major premise, going to a minor premise, and ending with the conclusion, the paper uses deductive reasoning to prove its point.
From the Paper
"One of the classic gender issues between men and women is sexism. Women have long been the victims of sexism on the job and at home and psychiatrists identify the cause of sexism as resulting from men's subconscious fear of the receptivity that characterizes women, a fear that has been exercised in the subjugation of women in culture. There are significant differences between men and women, one of them being the physical and emotional receptivity of females that contrasts with..."
Tags:deductive reasoning, premise, logic, gender, sexism, fear, men, women
Discusses an experiment examining human beings and the way that they reason depending on the types of questions asked.
Research Paper # 91851 |
3,025 words (
approx. 12.1 pages ) |
10 sources |
MLA | 2007
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$ 53.95
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This paper compares the mental logic theory and the mental model theory, in terms of the way that human beings reason. The paper presents an experiment that asks three similar questions of the participants with a slight word change in each of the three questions. The paper attempts to discern from the participant's answers to these three questions if the results favor the mental logic theory or the mental model theory in regards to human beings and the way they reason.
From the Paper
"Our studies show however, that the inferences the participants drew followed a logical sequence. If, as we purport, they do follow a logical sequence then that would lend more credence to the findings that the Mental Logic theory espouses as compared to the Mental Model theory.
"Schroyens purports that his study shows that both theories adhere to the same processing scheme, and that both theories are equivocal. If his study presents the truth, then we must search out the theory's differences, dissect these differences and discern whether the differences are so great that one of the two theories is more palatable than the other."
Tags:deduction, decision, bias
A review of the relevant psychological literature on the topic.
Essay # 8670 |
935 words (
approx. 3.7 pages ) |
2 sources |
APA | 2002
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$ 19.95
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This paper examines psychological theory on the development of inferential reasoning skills. The pragmatic view and the natural logic view are discussed. The work of Shaw-Jing and Cheng as well as the work of Braine are presented.
From the Paper
"The Development of deductive reasoning skills has been of interest to psychologists since the 1960s. There are two contrasting views on the development of reasoning skills. The first is the pragmatic view, which proposes that pragmatic rules develop first and that these then generalize and develop into formal rules. The natural logic view is that a set of formal rules develops first and that pragmatic rules follow. Many studies prior to the one conducted by Shaw-Jing and Cheng attempted to explain the development of logic using one of these two models."
Tags:deductive, pragmatic, logic, rules, nature, order, environmental, Shaw-Jing, Cheng, Braine
An analysis of the essay, "A Modest Proposal", by Jonathan Swift.
Article Review # 93492 |
1,050 words (
approx. 4.2 pages ) |
1 source |
MLA | 2007
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$ 22.95
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The paper describes how Jonathan Swift's essay, "A Modest Proposal" achieves success because it is a combination of satire, truth, and compassion. The writer proposes that by operating on these levels, Swift offers what looks like a very logical argument. The paper examines how, with a combination of inductive and deductive reasoning, argument by authority, satire, and his skillful use of words and statistics, Swift pulls a sleight of hand by convincing the reader that his idea is plausible before they even realize what he is actually suggesting. The paper concludes that Swift lets the reader decide for themselves the validity of his modest proposal.
From the Paper
"Through induction, Swift proves that his theory will work because his conclusion is drawn from particular circumstances or facts. This can be seen when he writes about the current economical state in Ireland. He is relying on these facts and does not waver from them at all because he needs them to win his argument. Another way in which Swift successfully achieves his argument is through deduction, or rather, simple reasoning. Again, through satire, Swift is able to introduce a grotesque theory almost painlessly because of how he arranges his argument. For instance, the focal point of Swift's argument relies completely on the negative effect of the hopeless women with their hungry babies on the streets."
Tags:compassion, Irish, children, food, logic, satire, inductive, deductive, reasoning
This paper discusses theologian and philosopher, Thomas Aquinas's third of five arguments for the existence of God.
Analytical Essay # 117655 |
773 words (
approx. 3.1 pages ) |
3 sources |
MLA | 2009
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$ 16.95
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This paper gives a brief overview of the life of Thomas Aquinas and then asserts that of his five arguments supporting the existence of God, his third is the most powerful. The paper asserts that this argument is the most powerful as it uses logic and deductive reasoning to prove the existence of a God. The paper examines this argument as proving that God exists due to all things in the universe being contingent upon their creation by another force. The paper then reiterates Aquinas's claim that a universe of contingent things is dependent on something, that something being God.
From the Paper
"In the Third Way of Aquinas, it is asserted that should one observe the world, they would notice that it is comprised of contingent beings (contingency, in this case, meaning that they hinge and rely upon something else in their creation). It is recognized that not everything is something that must be, as things are observed prior to their coming into existence, as they are visible on their way out of existence. Aquinas purports that not everything can be contingent in this format; he believes that if everything need not have been, then at one time - as a result of this supposition- there was nothing. Were there at one time nothing, there could not be anything now (as things are unable to come into existence themselves, but rather, they must be brought into existence by something that is already in the state of existing). As a result of this, it is not possible that the entireties of beings are contingent; there must be some point of origin. This point of origin, according to Aquinas, is God (Wallace)."
Tags:god theology metaphyiscs philosophy, thomas acquinas, logical deduction
This paper discusses 'Section VII" of David Hume's "Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding" which concludes that reason and rational judgments are merely habitual associations based on previous experiences.
Essay # 65728 |
1,440 words (
approx. 5.8 pages ) |
2 sources |
MLA | 2005
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$ 28.95
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This paper explains that 'Section VII" of David Hume's "Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding" opens by differentiating the mental processes associated with the exact and provable mathematical nature of science in the natural world and what he calls "the finer sentiments of the mind". The author points out that Hume recognizes the validity of science and the physical world and does not dispute the logical deductions made from observance and experimentation; however, he says knowledge itself is not a finite object that is subject to science and mathematics. The paper stresses that Hume does not question of God exists or whether man has a sou but rather he says that these things are not known and therefore causal theories, which rest on the supposition that they do exist, cannot be true.
From the Paper
"He uses the sun rising every day as an example, inferring that the fact that the sun has always risen every day does not, logically at least, mean that it will rise tomorrow. The reason that the sun rises every day is a function of physics, and the fact that the sun rises one day is not connected to its rising the previous day, but to those laws of physical motion. Thoughts, ideas and impressions cannot be measured in physical terms. A weakness in this argument would seem to be that he is separating deductive reasoning based on observable facts from the conclusions established in the mind regarding these facts. While he dismisses thought as an abstraction separate from science, he contends that space and time are the way impressions occur to us and these abstractions are the basis of ideas."
Tags:rules, kant, mathematics, validity, causal
An analysis of Aristotle's views on rhetoric and the application of rhetorical analysis to politics and law.
Term Paper # 111063 |
1,373 words (
approx. 5.5 pages ) |
5 sources |
APA | 2008
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$ 27.95
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This paper discusses how Aristotle viewed rhetoric and notes that an Aristotelian analysis of rhetoric was oriented more toward making a judgment about the rightness or wrongness of the rhetoric and the reasoning that went into developing the speech act itself. The paper looks at the three types of rhetoric Aristotle described as well as his explanation for the role and place of rhetoric in civic life. In addition, the paper discusses the link drawn by Aristotle between rhetoric and logic and examines how the ideas expressed by Aristotle helped shape ideas about rhetoric, politics, and law for generations.
From the Paper
"Ciero would influence St. Augustine in the Middle Ages. Before converting to Christianity, Augustine was a teacher of rhetoric. Augustine's most important contribution was to revive interest in rhetoric within the new Christian tradition after the early Christians had foresworn rhetoric as a pagan art. St. Augustine embodied rhetorical concepts in his writings and teachings and argued that preachers needed to be able to teach, to delight, and to move, the same notions of the duties of the orator held by Cicero. Augustine said that to accomplish the aims of Christianity it was necessary to pay attention to the rules of effective expression. He also said that such rules were to be used only in service of the truth and so revitalized the philosophic basis of rhetoric (Bizzell & Herzberg, 1990, pp. 382-383). "
Tags:human, knowledge, deductive, enthymeme, inductive