Construct inheritance nets for each of the following examples. Propagate markers for every node in the net. Use the net to answer the question “yes”, “no”, or “can’t tell.” (15 points each)
1. Graduate (A)ssistants are normally part of the University’s (I)nstructional staff. And Graduate (R)esearch assistants are graduate assistants. Members of the University’s instructional staff are normally (F)unded to do research, but graduate assistants normally are not funded to do research. However, graduate research assistants are funded to do research. Fred is a graduate research assistant. Is he funded to do research?
2. (B)ats are (M)ammals. Mammals normally don’t (F)ly, but bats normally do. Yet a (S)ick animal of any kind might not fly. A western (P)ipistrelle is a kind of bat. There is a sick western pipistrelle in my attic. Can it fly?
3. People who contract (E)mphysema from smoking usually (S)top smoking, and people who stop smoking normally (G)ain weight. But people with emphysema typically don’t gain weight. People who gain weight normally see an increase in their (C)holesterol levels, but people with emphysema usually do not see an increase in their cholesterol levels. George has contracted emphysema from smoking and he is gaining weight. Is his cholesterol going up?
4.
(D)imorphodons
were (P)terosaurs and pterosaurs were (R)eptiles. Dimorphodons had (W)ings. Animals with wings normally
(F)ly, and animals that fly
typically are not reptiles. There is a fossil of a Dimorphodon
macronyx at the Natural History Museum in
In each of the following, analyze the analogical argument then answer the questions. (20 points each.)
5. World War I involved conflict among many nations with great loss of life and damage to property. World War II involved even more widespread conflict with even greater lost of life and damage to property. But civilization recovered from both of these wars. Undoubtedly a third world war involving a nuclear exchange would affect many nations and result in enormous loss of life and damage to property. But civilization would probably recover from it, too.
The comparison set:
The target entity:
The comparison attribute(s):
The target attribute(s):
Is this argument weak or strong? Use the criteria we discussed in class to explain your answer.
Suppose we changed the conclusion of the argument to this: Civilization would probably recover from a third world war that did not involve a nuclear exchange. Would the revised argument be weaker or stronger? Why?
6. Pneumonia, strep throat, and tuberculosis are all respiratory infections, and all of them respond to penicillin. Diphtheria is also a respiratory infection. It would probably respond to penicillin, too.
The comparison set:
The target entity:
The comparison attribute(s):
The target attribute(s):
Suppose we added the claim that pneumonia is caused by a gram negative bacterium, strep throat is caused by a spirochete, and tuberculosis is caused by a gram positive bacterium. Would this make the argument weaker or stronger? Why?
Suppose we added the claim that pneumonia, strep throat, tuberculosis, and diphtheria are all bacterial infections. Would that make the argument weaker or stronger? Why?
Last modified 4/2/2008