Logic and Syllogisms Chapter 4

Questions and Answers

What is required for a target audience to accept the premises of a syllogism?

The premises must be emotionally appealing.

The premises should be logically complex and detailed.

The target audience must believe the premises to be true. (correct)

The premises must be widely accepted by the general public.

What does it mean for a premise to be grounded?

It is often considered subjective and varies by individual belief.

It is contingent on the advocate's ability to convince the audience.

It is only technically accurate and requires expert analysis.

It is not only true but is self-evidently true without further justification. (correct)

Why might a syllogism that is true fail to persuade an audience?

The conclusion drawn from the syllogism is flawed.

The evidence supporting the syllogism is insufficient.

The audience lacks knowledge necessary to understand the truth of the premises. (correct)

The arguments are too simplistic to engage the audience.

In the example given, what elements do individuals need to understand for the syllogism about airplanes to be persuasive?

The definitions of key terms such as airfoil and Bernoulli's Principle. Signup and view all the answers

What critical task must an advocate perform to persuade their audience?

Get the audience to accept the premises of the argument. Signup and view all the answers

What can be said about syllogisms that are internally coherent but lack grounding?

They may still fail to convince because the audience does not understand the premises. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements accurately describes a syllogism’s logic?

It stands as a self-contained argument within its own context. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the truth of a syllogism and its acceptance by the audience?

Truth alone is insufficient; understanding and grounding are necessary for acceptance. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Requirement of Grounding in Syllogisms

Each syllogism represents an internally coherent perspective within a limited universe, but internal consistency alone does not guarantee acceptance of its argument.
Acceptance of a syllogism's conclusion is contingent upon the audience's willingness to accept its premises, which must be believed to be true.
Advocates must ensure that premises presented are factually correct to persuade the audience effectively.
Simply presenting true premises is insufficient for persuasion; they must also be grounded, meaning they need to be self-evidently true without requiring additional justification.

Example of a Syllogism

The syllogism regarding airfoils illustrates a true explanation for how airplanes generate lift but may not persuade an audience lacking knowledge in the field.
For example, the premises involve terms like “airfoil,” “Bernoulli's Principle,” and “fixed aircraft wing,” which may be unfamiliar to many.
Understanding these terms and their relationships is crucial for the audience to judge the truth of the syllogism's premises effectively.

The Concept of Grounding

A grounded premise is universally accepted as true and does not need elaboration from the advocate for the audience to accept it.
Lack of familiarity with concepts in a syllogism does not inherently render it ungrounded, as grounding is about perceived self-evidence rather than an absolute standard.

Description

Explore the nuances of grounding in syllogistic arguments with this quiz. Understand how internal coherence of a syllogism does not guarantee acceptance of its premises. Engage with the critical task of persuading audiences to embrace argumentative structures.