What is an example of a weak inductive argument?

Asked by: Dr. Camron Zboncak  |  Last update: July 25, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (22 votes)

Examples of weak inductive arguments: Johnny Cash was from Arkansas. Johnny Cash is in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Therefore, most members of the Country Music Hall of Fame were born in Arkansas.

What are inductively weak arguments?

A strong argument is an inductive argument that succeeds in having its conclusion be probably true, given the truth of the premises. A weak argument is an inductive argument that fails in having its conclusion be probably true, even given the truth of the premises.

What is an example of a weak induction fallacy?

This fallacy is committed when the arguer cites as evidence the authority or testimony of someone who is not in fact an authority in the relevant subject area. I need to buy some drinks for the party tonight. I think I'll get Diet Pepsi, because that's what MC Hammer says has the best taste.

What is an example of a weak argument?

Here is an example of weak argument: “Charlie is a woman. Some women like poetry. Therefore, Charlie likes poetry.” In this case, the premise “some women like poetry” has a low or unclear probability, so the argument is weak.

Which of the following is a weak inductive argument?

Among these options, the weak inductive argument is (a) 'People who like wine think they're a big deal. Aaron thinks he's a big deal, so he must like wine. ' because it presents a hasty generalization and assumes a correlation that is not logically supported by strong evidence.

Introduction to Inductive and Deductive Reasoning | Infinity Learn

41 related questions found

What is a weak inductive argument example?

This is an example of a weak inductive argument because even though the premise is true -- the observer saw only orange tigers on their trip -- the conclusion can't be true. This is because white tigers also exist, even though the observer didn't see them.

What are some examples of inductive arguments?

One example of an inductive argument would be reasoning that orange cats are friendly based on one's personal experience with orange cats. While it is consistently imaginable that an orange cat could be unfriendly, one is making a generalization about orange cats based on a limited sample.

How do you identify weak arguments?

A weak argument will lack one of three things: a claim, relevant reasoning, and reliable evidence. An argument with no claim is not actually arguing anything and likely just expounding on fact.

What is a strong inductive argument?

Strong Inductive Argument

If the premise is true, the argument is considered stronger, even though the conclusion may be false. In a weak inductive argument, the logic supporting the premises and conclusion is incorrect, reflecting weaker beliefs and possibly a faulty conclusion.

What is a weakness of a deductive argument?

Soundness means that the premises are true and the argument is valid. Deductive arguments are weak when they are invalid or unsound. Invalidity means that the conclusion does not follow necessarily from the premises, even if they are true. Unsoundness means that one or more of the premises are false or doubtful.

What is a bad inductive argument?

Induction and Deduction

In general, then: • Hence: A valid argument is one in which it is necessary that, if the premises are true, then the conclusion is true. An invalid argument is one in which it is possible for the premises to be true and the conclusion false.

How to prove by weak induction?

Template for Proofs by Weak Induction
  1. Template for Proofs by Weak Induction. Prove.
  2. i. P(1) {Base Case}
  3. ii. P(n)→ P(n +1) {Inductive Step}
  4. Conclude. iii. P(n) is True for Every Integer n ≥1 {Conclusion}
  5. Remark • Do not always need to start at 1.

What is inductive reasoning weaknesses?

Inductive reasoning weaknesses are 1) small sample, 2) incorrect original assumption, 3) bias or original premise, 4) presumption without basis or validity, and 5) opinion instead of observations.

Which fallacy of weak inductive argument do you find most difficult to understand and why?

The Begging the Question and Equivocation-Ambiguity fallacies are the most difficult to understand for many students. The God-divine inspiration example in the text works for most students. Students will confuse a circular argument with one that does not fully support its conclusion.

What are 5 examples of induction?

Examples of inductive logic:
  • This cat is black. That cat is black. A third cat is black. ...
  • This marble from the bag is black. That marble from the bag is black. ...
  • Most universities and colleges in Utah ban alcohol from campus. Therefore most universities and colleges in the U.S. ban alcohol from campus.

What is strength and weakness in inductive reasoning?

The strength of the reasoning lies in the consistency and number of observations. Weak inductive reasoning, on the other hand, often involves hasty generalizations from insufficient data or anomalies.

Can a weak inductive argument have a true conclusion?

A strong argument is an inductive argument such that it is improbable that the premises be true and the conclusion false. A weak argument is an inductive argument such that the conclusion does not follow probably from the premises, even though it is claimed to.

What is a strong inductive hypothesis?

In an ordinary induction argument, you assume that P(n) is true and try to prove that P(n+1) is also true. In a strong induction argument, you may assume that P(0), P(1), ..., and P(n) are all true when you go to prove P(n+1). So you can assume a stronger set of hypotheses which can make your job easier.

Can a weak argument be cogent?

But all cogent arguments must be strong (and have all true premises). Thus, since no weak arguments are strong, no weak arguments are cogent.

How to identify a weak argument?

So an argument can weak one of these ways:
  1. It is ill-formed.
  2. You think one or more of the premises are false.
  3. You suspend judgment about one or more of the premises.
  4. The argument is defeated.

What is the difference between strong and weak inductive arguments?

A strong inductive argument is one where it is improbable for the conclusion to be false, given that the premises are true. A weak inductive argument is one where the conclusion probably would not follow from the premises, if they were true.

What is the term for weak argument?

Logical fallacies make an argument weak by using mistaken beliefs/ideas, invalid arguments, illogical arguments, and/or deceptiveness.

Can you have a valid inductive argument?

That is, we can't use the terms 'valid' and 'invalid' to apply to inductive arguments. Remember, for an argument to be valid, its premises must guarantee its conclusion. But inductive arguments don't even try to provide a guarantee of the conclusion; technically, then, they're all invalid. But that won't do.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of deductive arguments?

The strength of deductive arguments is that they guarantee their conclusions. The weakness is that they apply known principles to specific conclusions but do not discover new principles. A brief deductive argument, reduced to its basics such as this one, is called a syllogism.