Modus tollens

that the soul is immortal and survives the body’s death. Without a defense of this controversial assumption, the argument fails to prove its point. Socrates argues that philosophers should not fear and resent death; instead they should cheerfully look forward to it. His argument is as follows: (1) Death is the separation of the soul from the body. (2) Philosophy is practice at and training for the separation of the soul from the body. (3) Therefore, philosophy is practice at and training for death. (4) But it is absurd to resent and fear what one has long practiced at and trained for. Therefore, it is absurd for philosophers to resent and fear death. Although the argument does not obviously have a canonically valid form (e.g. modus ponens, modus tollens, etc.), nevertheless considered on its own it appears to be valid: it is hard to see how the premises could be true and the conclusion false. Considered in light of Socrates’ defense of its premises, however, the argument appears to commit the fallacy of equivocation. Let me turn, then, to his defense of the argument’s premises. Socrates does not offer any reasons to believe that premises (1) and (4) are true; his interlocutors grant these premises without question. Premise (1) may very well be true, but it involves a controversial assumption—a point I shall return to below. Premise (4), however, 2 appears to have counter-examples. Drafted soldiers, for instance, might reasonably fear and resent a war that they had long…

David Berkowitz, also known as the Son of Sam, is a serial killer who is well known for terrorizing young couples of New York. He began his series of shootings in the summer of 1976, and by July 1977 he had killed six victims and wounded seven others. Berkowitz followed a way of doing things, also known as a modus operandi (M.O.), by leaving bizarre letters at crime scenes which mocked the police and promised further crimes. His M.O. was what eventually led to him being captured and convicted of…

skeptical argument of the Brain in A Vat there can be many flaws or holes seen within the argument itself, Moore’s Proof, the Anti-Skeptical argument, and Modus Ponens. Throughout all of these examples many flaws or counter examples arise that can either help or reject the argument by themselves, but when using all together you get a better stance on the argument. Upon closer examination of premise one, I know that I have hands only if I know I am not a brain in a vat, this statement could be…

eventually came back due to the weather . When Victor purportedly arrived to the area for the first time and saw the body of Henry Clerval, he “called [himself] the murderer of William, of Justine, and of Clerval” (130). This reaction might have been from the grief of losing his best friend, but it can also be seen as Victor confessing to the crime of murdering Henry. If he was the monster, he would be the one that would have caused the death of his friends and family. In fact, each person who…

continued to stay in contact with Romeo, and finally his time to strike came. The girls decided that they would tell their parent they would be at each other’s house to work on a school project. Instead of being at each other’s house the girls were really at the mall meeting boys. The boys they were going to meet were Justin and Ryan, Ryan was an older boy who was in High School, that had an after school job, so he told the girls he was going to be sending his mom to pick them up so they…

Terrorist Profile: 1. Name of individual: Ilich Ramirez Sanchez. He was also known as Carlos the Jackal. His nickname “Carlos” was given to him by Abu-Sharif (spokesman of the Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Sharif suggested that name because it was the Spanish version of the Arabic name Khalil (Abraham – a name brought to Spain by the Moors). “The Jackal” was added later on by the media. The Jackal was taken from a fictional character in Frederick Forsyth’s novel “the Day…

Signature behavior and modus operandi (MO) are the two tools used by Forensic psychology to identify unknown offenders who commit violent crimes. Signature behavior is an action by an offender that is not necessary to complete their crime. They are images and reproduction of the individual’s lifestyle, personality and evolving practice of the offender. These actions fulfils their emotional and psychological desires when they commit criminal behaviors. All offenders have a Modus Operandi…

Global Climate Change Argument Fallon Mullen The Global Climate Change argument video that we viewed is highly complex and interesting and highlights the use of logic to decipher a conclusion from an argument that is heated and reoccurring. As I watched the video I felt that the argument fit the form of Modus Tollens and Modus Ponens. Modus Ponens: If we act, then the world won’t end We acted So, the world won’t end. Modus Tollens: If we act, then the world won’t end The world is not going…

When we apply the theory of argumentum absurdum to both Hume and Aristotle’s argument, the equation would yield the same results. Since humans are capable of infallibility, and humans write about miracles, then miracles cannot be proven to exist, therefore, God cannot exist if his existence is reliant upon the miracles. Therefore, the existence of God cannot be logically proven under Hume’s claim, since we cannot see God, we cannot prove miracles exist, and God cannot exist where man is…

2nd Mediation Reading Response Recognizing the failings in comprehension is a key attribute in avoiding biases in the previous mediation, however it is easier said than done. To be faced on the growing continuum of indecision and intellectual liberation from the constant distractions brought by the senses Descartes resides in “pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge” as referring to the Twilight Zone. On the onslaught of uncertainty, the Wax analogy is sufficient enough when…