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SingaporeKnowledge & InquiryQuick questions
Reasoning and Argument
Quick questions on Deductive validity and soundness explained: H2 Knowledge and Inquiry
4short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is soundness?Show answer
Soundness adds the missing ingredient. An argument is sound if and only if it is valid and all its premises are actually true. A sound argument therefore guarantees a true conclusion, because a valid form applied to true premises cannot yield a false conclusion. The penguin argument above is valid but unsound, because its first premise is false.
What is q1?Show answer
Define validity and soundness and state the one combination of premise and conclusion truth-values that a valid argument cannot have. [6 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Give an argument that is valid but not sound, and explain why. [6 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Symbolise and assess: "If the alarm works, it sounds when there is smoke. It did not sound. So the alarm does not work."
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