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SECTION 1: LOGIC (10 points) Instructions

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SECTION 1: LOGIC (10 points) Instructions. 

Questions #1 and #2 are short answer. Questions #3 ,#4, and #5 are yes/no questions; simply answer them by writing “yes” or “no”. 

 

1. What does it take for an argument to be valid? (2pts)

 

2. What does it take for an argument to be sound? (2pts) 

 

3. Is the following valid, yes or no? (2pts) 

1. Joe Biden is president of the US. 

2. Washington D.C. is the US capitol. 

3. Therefore, Joe Biden is in Washington D.C. 

 

4. Is the following valid, yes or no? (2pts) 

1. Pay taxes. 

2. If you pay taxes, you will contribute to society. 

3. So, you should pay taxes.

 

5. Is the following valid, yes or no? (2pts) 

1. All people have a right to life.

2. All of the individuals currently on death row are people. 

3. So, all of the individuals currently on death row have a right to life.

 

SECTION 2: EXISTENCE (15 POINTS)

 

Instructions. All of the questions in this section are short answer: Please write only as much as you think you need to in order to answer each question.

 

1. Explain Quine’s puzzle of non-existence. (5 points)

 

2. Describe two of the proposed solutions to the puzzle of non-existence which Quine hates; why does Quine think that these solutions ultimately fail? (5 points)

 

3. Why is the distinction of between naming and meaning relevant to Quine’s solution to the puzzle of non-existence? Use the “Morning Star/Evening Star” example to explain your answer. (5 points)

 

SECTION 3: IDENTITY (20 POINTS) 

 

Instructions. All of the questions in this section are short answer: Please write only as much as you think you need to in order to answer each question.

 

1. Summarize Russell’s argument for the existence of resemblance universals. (5 points)

 

2. Describe the Twin Spheres thought experiment and explain how it is supposed to work as a counterexample to the Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles. (15 points)

 

SECTION 4: GENERAL (17 POINTS) 

 

Instructions. All of the questions in this section are short answer: Please write only as much as you think you need to in order to answer each question.

 

1. Paraphrasing is a common strategy in metaphysics. Give an example of this strategy and explain how it is supposed to work. (7 points)

 

2. Many of the philosophers we have read are, among other things, trying to make a general point about how the task of metaphysics is different from the task of simply describing the world in ordinary terms. Pick one philosopher we have read who is arguing for this point and describe their argument for it. (10 points)