PHILO 11 X1

GROUP III (CLASS #: 11-14)

MIDTERM EXAM ANSWERS
1. Let S = Plato went to Syracuse
Let A = Alcibiades stayed in Athens
Let R = Aristotle went to Rome

Argument Form:
SvA
RvA
-R
S

Truth Tree
The argument was
found to be consistent
and invalid. The
possible set of truthvalues to provide the
invalid proof is:
T for A
F for S
F for R

1
2
3
4

SvA
RvA
--R
-S

From
A

2. Let M = Smith gave Brown the money

Let W = Smith welshed on his bet

Argument Form:
-M W
M
-W

Truth Tree:
The argument was
found to be consistent
and invalid. The
possible set of truthvalues to provide the
invalid proof is:

T for M
T for W

1
2
3
4

5
6

-M W
M
--W
W

--M
M

From
3

1
5

3. Let A = The Achaean fleet will be able to sail to Troy

Let I = Agamemnon slays his daughter Iphigeneia
Let C = Agamemnon will be killed by his wife Clytemnestra

Argument Form:
-A -I
I C
A
C
Truth Tree:
The argument was
found to be consistent
and invalid. The possible
set of truth-values to
provide the invalid proof
is:
T for A
F for I
F for C

1
2
3
4

-A -I
I C
A
-C

--A

-I

From
-I

1
5

-I

4. Let C = Angelo is in the circus

Let K = Angelo is a clown
Let W = Angelo is whimsical

Argument Form:
C v -K
W v -C
K W

Truth Tree:
The argument was
found to be inconsistent
and valid. All the
branches were closed.

1
2
3
4
5

C v K
W v C
-(K W)
K
-W

From
3
3
-K

-C

5. Let C = Jesse Owens suffered leg cramps during the race

Let W = Jesse Owens won the race

Argument Form:
-(C & W)
W
-C

Truth Tree:
The argument was
found to be inconsistent
and valid. All the
branches were closed.

1
2
3
4

-(C & W)
W
--C
C

From
3

-C

-W

6. Let W = Filbert read War and Peace

Let A = Filbert read Anna Karenina
Let K = Ludmilla read Anna Karenina
Let Z = Ludmilla read Doctor Zhivago

Argument Form:
WvA
-K v Z
K & -A
W&Z

Truth Tree:
The argument was found
to be inconsistent and
valid. All the branches
were closed.

1
2
3
4
5
6

WvA
-K v Z
K & -A
-(W & Z)
K
-A

From
3
3
A

-K

-W

-Z

7. Let L = Lagos is the capital of Nigeria

Let A = Accra is the capital of Nigeria
Let G = Lagos is the capital of Ghana
Let C = Accra is the capital of Ghana

Argument Form:
LvA
GvC
AvC
LvG

Truth Tree:
The argument was
found to be consistent
and invalid. The
possible set of truthvalues to provide the
invalid proof is:
T for A
T for C
F for L
F for G
.

1
2
3
4
5
6

LvA
GvC
AvC
-(L v G)
-L
-G

From
4
4
A

8. Let H = Hitler will attack Russia

Let L = Luftwaffe gains control of the skies over England
Let O = Germany launches Operation Sea Lion

Argument Form:
H v (L & O)
-L
H

Truth Tree:
The argument was
found to be inconsistent
and valid. All the
branches were closed.

1
2
3
4
5
6

H v (L & O)
-L
-H
H

From

(L & O)
O
L

1
4
4

9. Let G = Milhous graduates

Let J = Milhous takes a job
Let A = Milhous goes into the army

Argument Form:
G (J v A)
G
-J A

Truth Tree:
1
2
3
4
5

The argument was found

to be inconsistent and
valid. All the branches
were closed.

G (J v A)
G
-(-J A)
-J
-A

-G

From
3
3

(J v A)

10. Let L = Bob is looking

Let C = Ernie cheats at croquet
Let M = Ernie takes another martini
Let B = Ernie has a glass of beer
Let W = Ernie wins at croquet

Argument Form:
-L (C v M)
(B & W) -M
-C -W
The argument was
found to be
consistent and
invalid. The possible
set of truth-values to
provide the invalid
proof is:
T for L
T for W
F for C
F for B
F for M

Truth Tree:

1
2
3
4
5

-L (C v M)
(B & W) -M
-(-C -W)
-C
--W
W

-(B & W)

-B

8
9

--L
L

10

From
3
3
5
-M

-W

(C v M)
C

--L
L

(C v M)
C

1
8
8

11. Let P = Tai will defeat Petrosian

Let F = Tai will defeat Fischer
Let K = Tais opening move is with the kings pawn
Let M = Fisher has the first move

Argument Form:
(P & F) K
-F M
M
K P
The argument was
found to be
inconsistent and valid.
All the branches were
closed.

Truth Tree:
1
2
3
4
5

(P & F) K
-F M
-M
-(K P)
K
-P

From
4
4

(P & F) & K

-(P & F) & -K

7
8
9

(P&F)
P
F

-K

6
7
7

12. Let T = Professor Mumble will give a test

Let C = The class has covered ten chapters
Let L = Professor Mumble lost his lecture notes
Let D = Professor Mumble had too much to drink at the Faculty Club after class

Argument Form:
-(C v L) -T
-D -L
(C & D) T
The argument was
found to be consistent
and invalid. The
possible set of truthvalues to provide the
invalid proof is:
T for C
T for D
F for T
Either T or F for L

Truth Tree:
-(C v L) -T
-D -L
-[(C & D) T]
(C&D)
-T
C
D

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

--(C v L)

(C v L)

10
11
12

C
--D
D

From
3
3
4
4
-T

1
8

L
-L

--D
D

9
-L

--D
D

-L

2
12

13. Let C = Sherlock Holmes caught the criminal

Let L = Dr. Watson is lying
Let I = Sherlock Holmes correctly identified the cigar ash

Argument Form:
CvL
-I C
LvC

Truth Tree:
1
2
3
4

The argument was found

to be inconsistent and
valid. All the branches
were closed.

CvL
-I C
-(L v C)
-L
-C
C

From
3
L

14. Let Q = The gods quarrel

Let J = The gods quarrel over what is just and good
Let P = Anyone is pleased by what he thinks just and good
Let D = Anyone is displeased by what he thinks unjust and bad
Let O = One thing can please one god
Let A = One thing can displease another god

Argument Form:
Q
Q J
P&D
J (O & A)
(O & A)
The argument was
found to be
inconsistent and
valid. All the
branches were
closed.

Truth Tree:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Q
Q J
P&D
J (O & A)
-(O & A)
P
D

From
3
3

-Q

J
-J

2
(O & A)
O
A

4
9
9

-O

-A

15. Let G = Lady Chatterly will meet the game-keeper

Let I = Clifford is impotent
Let V = Lady Chatterly does go to Venice

Argument Form:
-(I & -V) -G
V
-G

Truth Tree:

1
2
3
4

The argument was found

to be inconsistent and
valid. All the branches
were closed.

-(I & -V) -G

V
--G
G

5
6
7
8

--(I & -V)

(I & -V)
I
V

From
3
-G

1
5
6
6

16. Let A = God is able to prevent evil

Let O = God is omnipotent
Let W = God is willing to prevent evil
Let B = God is benevolent
Let E = Evil exists
Let G = God exists

Argument Form:

Truth Tree:

-A -O
(A & -W) -B
-(-W v A) -E
E
G (O & B)
-G

The argument was

found to be inconsistent
and valid. All the
branches were closed.

A -O
(A & W) B
(W v A) E
E
G (O & B)
G
G

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

-G

From
6

(O & B)
O
B

5
8
8
8

(W v A)
(W v A)

11
12
13

14

(A & W)

15
16

17

A O

W
W

-E

3
11

A
B

(A & W)
A
A

W
W

A O

12
B

2
14
15
1

17. Let S = The social security system will succeed

Let M = More money will be collected through social security taxes
Let T = Many senior citizens will be in trouble
Let C = Both members of Congress claim to be sympathetic to senior citizens

Argument Form:
M S
SvT
C & -M
-S

Truth Tree:
The argument was
found to be consistent
and invalid. The
possible set of truthvalues to provide the
invalid proof is:
T for S
T for T
T for C
F for M

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

M S
SvT
C & -M
--S
S
C
-M

-M

From
4
3
3
S

18. Let A = The President acts quickly

Let S = The social security system will be saved
Let D = The senior citizens will be delighted
Let M = The President is pressured by members of the Senate
Let H = The President is pressured by members of the House
Let C = The President is pressured by the senior citizens

Argument Form:
(-S -A) & (S D)
[(M v H) v C] A
-(M v H) & C
D

The argument was

found to be inconsistent
and valid. All the
branches were closed.

Truth Tree:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

(-S -A) & (S D)

[(M v H) v C] A
-(M v H) & C
-D
-(M v H)
C
-S -A
S D

9
10

--S

From
3
3
1
1

-A

9
11
12
13
14

-S

8
-[(M v H) v C]
-(M v H)
-C

2
12
12