Inductive Reasoning Flashcards

In a statistical syllogism, the argument form is: 'X% of F are G; a is F; therefore, a is probably G.' This argument is stronger when:

Answer: X is very high or very low

Statistical syllogisms are stronger when the percentage is far from 50%, giving clearer probabilistic support for the conclusion.

Which of the following is an example of hasty generalization?

Answer: Concluding all teenagers are irresponsible after one teenager makes a mistake

Hasty generalization draws a sweeping conclusion from an insufficient number of cases.

Which principle best explains why inductive conclusions can never be proven with absolute certainty?

Answer: Hume's problem of induction

Hume's problem of induction shows that past observations cannot logically guarantee future events, making certainty impossible.

A public health official observes that neighborhoods with more fast-food restaurants have higher obesity rates. To establish a causal claim inductively, the next best step is:

Answer: Control for confounding variables like income and exercise habits

Controlling for confounding variables is essential to move from a mere correlation toward a defensible causal conclusion.

A wine expert correctly identifies grape varieties in 95 out of 100 blind tastings. An observer concludes the expert can reliably distinguish grape varieties by taste. This inductive argument is:

Answer: Strong because the sample is large and the success rate is very high

A 95% success rate across 100 trials constitutes strong inductive evidence for the expert's ability.

When evaluating an inductive argument on the CCTST, which question is MOST relevant?

Answer: Do the premises make the conclusion more likely to be true?

Inductive evaluation focuses on whether premises raise the probability that the conclusion is true, not whether it follows necessarily.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between evidence quantity and inductive argument strength?

Answer: More representative evidence generally increases inductive strength

Greater quantities of representative evidence typically increase the probability that an inductive conclusion is correct.