BCA Critical Thinking 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which argument structure is deductively valid?
- Most birds fly; penguins are birds; therefore penguins fly
- If P then Q; P is true; therefore Q is true (Correct answer)
- X is popular; therefore X must be correct
- A occurred before B; therefore A caused B
Correct answer: If P then Q; P is true; therefore Q is true
Modus ponens (If P then Q; P; therefore Q) is a classically valid deductive form.
Question 2: What distinguishes an inference from an observation?
- An inference is directly seen; an observation is guessed
- An observation is directly perceived; an inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence (Correct answer)
- Inferences are always correct; observations can be mistaken
- Observations require instruments; inferences do not
Correct answer: An observation is directly perceived; an inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence
Observations are direct sensory experiences; inferences interpret or explain those observations.
Question 3: Which scenario demonstrates confirmation bias?
- A scientist changes her hypothesis after new data contradicts it
- A student only reads articles that support his pre-existing opinion on a topic (Correct answer)
- A jury considers all evidence before reaching a verdict
- A doctor orders additional tests before diagnosing a patient
Correct answer: A student only reads articles that support his pre-existing opinion on a topic
Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out information that confirms one's existing beliefs.
Question 4: An argument is considered sound when it is:
- Valid and has at least one true premise
- Valid and all its premises are true (Correct answer)
- Popular and well-supported by anecdotes
- Persuasive and emotionally compelling
Correct answer: Valid and all its premises are true
Soundness requires both logical validity and the truth of all premises.
Question 5: Which rhetorical device appeals primarily to emotion rather than logic?
- Using a well-researched statistic
- Telling a heartbreaking personal story to oppose a policy (Correct answer)
- Citing a peer-reviewed study
- Defining key terms clearly before arguing
Correct answer: Telling a heartbreaking personal story to oppose a policy
Appealing to pathos uses emotional stories to persuade rather than logical evidence.
Question 6: A classmate argues: 'We shouldn't listen to the principal's new rule because she was once late to school herself.' This is best described as:
- A valid counterargument based on hypocrisy
- An ad hominem fallacy (Correct answer)
- A slippery slope argument
- An appeal to tradition
Correct answer: An ad hominem fallacy
Attacking the character or past behavior of the person rather than the rule itself is ad hominem.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of a counterargument in a persuasive essay?
- To admit that the writer's position is wrong
- To acknowledge opposing views and then refute them to strengthen the argument (Correct answer)
- To introduce a new topic unrelated to the thesis
- To list all possible viewpoints without taking a side
Correct answer: To acknowledge opposing views and then refute them to strengthen the argument
Acknowledging and refuting counterarguments demonstrates critical engagement and strengthens the writer's position.
BCA Critical Thinking 3
Which argument structure is deductively valid?