Exercises on Mill\'s Methods PDF

Preview

Summary

pretty good for revision for the exam...

Description

Exercises Involving Mill’s Methods Instructions: For each of the following passages, determine which of Mill’s methods is being employed. Possible answers are: The method of difference, the method of agreement, the joint method of agreement and difference, the method of concomitant variation, the method of residues, and correlation. Indicate whether you think the argument is strong or weak. 1. Research suggests that eating lots of fruits and vegetables may provide some protection from several types of cancer. Studies have revealed that the risk of getting cancer associated with he lowest intakes of fruit and vegetables is twice as high as that associated with the highest intakes. 2. An experimental vaccine prevented women from becoming persistently infected with a [type of human papilloma virus called HPV-16 that is associated with half of all cervical cancers, researchers reported … The study involved 2,392 women from 16 to 23 years of age. Participants were randomly assigned to receive three shots of either an HPV-16 vaccine or a placebo. Participants were followed for an average of 17 months after getting the 3rd shot. The result was that 41 women developed HPV-16 infection – all of these women were in the placebo group. By comparison, no one who got all three vaccine shots developed an HPV infection. 3. The endorsement of the Canadian Auto Workers union is essential to getting elected to represent the Ontario city of Oshawa in the Canadian Parliament. No one has ever been elected to represent Oshawa without the support of the CAW. 4. In instance 1, when factors X, Y and Z were present, event E happened. In instance 2, when factors X, Y and Z were present, E happened. In instance 3, when factors X and Z were present E did not happen. In instance 4, when Z and P were present, E did not happen. And, finally, in instance X, Z and P were present, E did not happen. Therefore Y caused E. 5. On Tuesday 52 people ate ham sandwiches at Johnny’s Deli, and half of these came down with hepatitis. The board of health discovered that the people who became ill had eaten ham sandwiches made by Johnny’s brother, who had hepatitis at the time. This was the only relevant common element among those who got sick. So Johnny’s brother was the cause of the outbreak. 6. For years, accidents at the intersection of 5 th and Main Streets have consistently averaged four to six per month. After a traffic light was installed there, the rate has gone down to one or two accidents every three months. That new traffic light is what has made the difference.

7. The risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries is linked to cholesterol in the bloodstream (called serum cholesterol). The higher the serum cholesterol levels, the greater the risk of atherosclerosis. In light of this, it is clear that there’s a causal connection between serum cholesterol levels and the risk of atherosclerosis. 8. Educators have frequently noted the relationship between education level and salary. The higher a person’s education level is, the higher their salary is likely to be. It is clear that education level increase people’s earning power. 9. Just five people got an A on the first midterm. The only common factor among them is that they all studied the night before and reviewed their notes just before taking the exam. It seems that careful preparation is the key to doing well on exams is this course. 10. Charley was pretty happy all week, but then he started mopping around as if he’d lost his dog or something. I think he’s upset because he got a rejection letter from the art school he had applied to. 11. Investigators tested the performance of four gasoline-powered lawnmowers before and after a tune-up. The machines differed in age, manufacturer, engine-type, and controls. The performance of every mower was better after the tune-up, leading testers to conclude that tune-ups improve the performance of lawnmowers. 12. In our test, after people washed their hands with Lather-Up soap, no germs could be detected on their hands. But under exactly the same conditions, after they washed their hands with Brand X soap, plenty of germs were found on their hands. It is clear the Lather-up is better. 13. The price of oil on the World market has hit $100 only four times in the last 50 years. Sometimes major world economies were in recession, and sometimes they weren’t. Sometimes there was an increase in the average fuel consumption of cars, and sometimes there wasn’t. War has been the only constant during these oil price spikes. 14. Following are the results of a study linking increased rates of suicide to smoking in a sample of 100.000 females: “Compared with those who had never smoked, women who smoked one to 24 cigarettes a day displayed twice the likelihood of committing suicide, and those smoking 25 or more cigarettes daily exhibited four times the likelihood of committing suicide, Hemingway’s team contends.”...