Some Easy Arguments

 

Argument 1

1.      Every gecko is mortal.

2.      Jim is a gecko.

3.      So, Jim is mortal.

 

Argument 2

1.      (Premise) Every dog is either dangerous or useless.

2.      (Premise) A dangerous animal does not make a good pet.

3.      (Premise) A useless animal does not make a good pet.

4.      Therefore, no dog makes a good pet.

 

Argument 3

1.      (Premise) All male cats are silly.

2.      (Premise) All female cats are bloodthirsty.

3.      (Premise) A bloodthirsty animal does not make a good pet.

4.      (Premise) A silly animal does not make a good pet.

5.      Therefore, no cat makes a good pet.

 

Argument 4

  1. (Premise) All producers of honey are taxed.
  2. (Premise) All bees are producers of honey.
  3. Therefore, all bees are taxed.

 

Argument 5

  1. (Premise) If event E is neither earlier nor later than event F, then E and F are simultaneous.
  2. (Premise) God’s creating time is not earlier than the beginning of time.
  3. (Premise) God’s creating time is not later than the beginning of time.
  4. Therefore, God’s creating time is simultaneous with the beginning of time.

 

Parmenides’ Argument

  1. There is a reason for everything. (Premise)
  2. No reason is possible for why the universe came into existence at t rather than at some other time. (Premise)
  3. Therefore, the universe did not come into existence at any time. (By 1 and 2)

 

Zeno’s Paradoxes

 

The Arrow

 

  1. If something during a period of time occupies exactly one location, it is at rest during that period of time. (Premise)
  2. In a now, something occupies exactly one location. (Premise)
  3. The arrow is always in a now. (Premise)
  4. The arrow is at rest in a now. (By 1 and 2.)
  5. The arrow is always at rest. (By 3 and 4.)

 

Bisection

 

  1. (Premise) If a human task has an infinite sequence of prerequisites, then the task never gets started.
  2. (Premise) For every distance x, before one walks x miles, one has the prerequisite of walking x/2 miles.
  3. (Premise) Premise (2) generates an infinite sequence of prerequisites for the human task of walking a mile.
  4. Therefore, the human task of walking a mile never gets started.
  5. (Premise) If a human task never gets started, then it is never completed.
  6. Therefore, the human task of walking a mile is never completed.