Question

Argument Forms

An argument form is a representation of the logical relationship between terms in an argument. Determining an argument's form involves replacing the content terms in the argument, whether statements or noun terms, with capital letters (A, B, C, and so on) while leaving alone the connecting phrases such as "either... or..." and "not." The validity of a deductive argument is determined by the argument's form. Any argument that has a valid argument form is a deductively valid argument.

Consider the following two arguments. First indicate which type of deductive argument form each argument has. Then indicate whether the capital letters in the argument form represent noun terms or statements. Finally, use the given substitution keys to construct the form for each argument.

Argument A

P1:	Either the government will file an antitrust suit, or the company will undergo a merger.
P2:	The company will not undergo a merger.
C:	The government will file an antitrust suit.

Substitution Key for Argument A

G	The government will file an antitrust suit.
C	The company will undergo a merger.

Argument A is adisjunctive syllogism   .

In the argument form for this argument type, the capital letters representstatements   .

Premise P1 has the form:   

Premise P2 has the form:   

Conclusion C has the form:   

Argument B

P1:	No mallard ducks are small rodents.
P2:	All hamsters are small rodents.
C:	No mallard ducks are hamsters.

Substitution Key for Argument B

S	small rodents
H	hamsters
M	mallard ducks

Argument B is a   .

In the argument form for this argument type, the capital letters represent   .

Premise P1 has the form:   

Premise P2 has the form:   

Conclusion C has the form:   

Answer 1

Argument A: The form of the argument is disjunctive syllogism.

Premise P1 has the form: G v C

Premise P2 has the form: ~C

Conclusion C has the form: G

Argument B: The form of the argument is categorical syllogism.

Premise P1 has the form: No M are S.

Premise P2 has the form: All H are S.

Conclusion C has the form: No M are H.