Logical Reasoning--Sufficient and Necessary Conditions?
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:45 pm
Paraphrasing the question:
If you know a lot about history, you can impress people who are intellectuals. But unfortunately you will not know much about history if you have not for example, read a lot of books. Therefore, if you are not well versed in history due to lack of reading, it will not be easy for you to impress people who are intellectuals.
The argument's reasoning is flawed because the argument overlooks the possibility that
(A) many intellectuals are not widely read in history
(B) there are people who learn about history who do not impress intellectuals
(C) it is more important to impress people who are intellectuals
(D) there are other easy ways to impress intellectuals that do not involve knowing history
(E) people who are not intellectuals can be impressed more easily than people who are intellectuals
I know how to diagram the sufficient and necessary conditions according to the S --> N format but I don't understand how this diagram can equate to (D) being the correct answer. Can someone please explain the missing link to help me understand? My diagram is below:
KH = know a lot about history; IPI = impress people who are intellectuals
P1: KH --> IPI
C: not KH --> not IPI
Thank you for your enlightenment!
If you know a lot about history, you can impress people who are intellectuals. But unfortunately you will not know much about history if you have not for example, read a lot of books. Therefore, if you are not well versed in history due to lack of reading, it will not be easy for you to impress people who are intellectuals.
The argument's reasoning is flawed because the argument overlooks the possibility that
(A) many intellectuals are not widely read in history
(B) there are people who learn about history who do not impress intellectuals
(C) it is more important to impress people who are intellectuals
(D) there are other easy ways to impress intellectuals that do not involve knowing history
(E) people who are not intellectuals can be impressed more easily than people who are intellectuals
I know how to diagram the sufficient and necessary conditions according to the S --> N format but I don't understand how this diagram can equate to (D) being the correct answer. Can someone please explain the missing link to help me understand? My diagram is below:
KH = know a lot about history; IPI = impress people who are intellectuals
P1: KH --> IPI
C: not KH --> not IPI
Thank you for your enlightenment!