Edit question This exercise pertains to material we\'ve covered in Chapters 1 -

Question

Edit question This exercise pertains to material we've covered in Chapters 1 - 5. For each of the following passages, indicate whether it contains an argument. If it does, specify the conclusion and the premises, whether it is deductive or inductive, whether it is a good argument (sound or cogent), or whether it is a fallacy and identify the species of fallacy it is. Be careful: almost all passages do not contain an argument.

8. Thinking is like swimming. Just as in swimming it's easy to float on the top but hard to dive deep, it's easy in thinking to float along on the surface of an issue but difficult to use your intellect to delve down into the layers.

Explanation / Answer

Premise 1: While swimming it's easy to float on the top but hard to dive deep.
Premise 2: While thinking, it is easy to float along on the surface but difficult to delve down into the layers.
Conclusion: Swimming is like thinking.
The argument is deductive and unsound. This is because the conclusion does not necessarily follow from the premises. The logical fallacy here is hasty generalization.

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