Phil110 Critical Thinking SPS CUNY Unit 11 Discussion Assign

Phil110 Critical Thinking Sps Cunyunit 11 Discussion Assignment Be

Compare their answers to yours, make suggestions (or even corrections) as needed. For your reference, use the following table: Conjunction & Disjunction ∨ Negation ~ Conditional ⊃ Biconditional ≡ PHIL110 Critical Thinking – SPS CUNY Step 1. Describe the following representations, which is a reconstruction of the argument above. (Note, this is my reconstruction of this argument, using charity and faithfulness. There might be other ways to reconstruct it, but for the purpose of this assignment, we’ll go with this one). What is A, L, U and S stand for? How do these symbols and statements describe/represent the tweet above? Be sure to reference appropriate terminology, as we learned it during this course to describe the argument. A ⊃ ∼L ∼L ⊃ U U ⊃ S ______ A ⊃ S ______ The symbols and statements represent a logical reconstruction of the Dalai Lama's tweet, where:

  • A represents the assertion "To be honest, truthful, and altruistic,"
  • L stands for "being truthful" (or perhaps "truthfulness" as a trait),
  • U signifies "usefulness" or "beneficial behavior,"
  • S denotes "social harmony" or "societal well-being."

The logical relations suggest that:

  • A implies not L (A ⊃ ∼L): if one commits to honest and altruistic behavior, it implies a negation of selfishness or self-centeredness.
  • Not L implies U (∼L ⊃ U): if one is not selfish, then their actions are beneficial.
  • U implies S (U ⊃ S): beneficial actions lead to social harmony.
  • And ultimately, A implies S (A ⊃ S): honest, truthful, and altruistic actions promote social harmony.
  • These representations collectively encapsulate the ethical and social implications highlighted by the tweet.
  • Paper For Above instruction
  • The Dalai Lama's tweet, “Be honest, truthful, and altruistic,” can be critically analyzed using propositional logic to understand its underlying structure and implications. The logical reconstruction aims to illustrate how the virtues of honesty, truthfulness, and altruism connect through implications to social harmony. The key elements in this logical representation are four propositional variables, namely A, L, U, and S, which stand for specific concepts within the moral framework advocated by the Dalai Lama. In this case, A stands for "being honest, truthful, and altruistic," encapsulating the core virtues emphasized in the tweet. The variable L commonly represents "truthfulness" or the trait of being truthful. U can be interpreted as "usefulness" or "beneficial behavior," which contributes positively to society. Lastly, S signifies "social harmony" or societal well-being, the ultimate goal of practicing these virtues.
  • The logical formula A ⊃ ∼L reflects that, if one commits to the virtues, it implies a negation of selfishness or self-centered motives, aligning with altruistic behavior. Subsequently, ∼L ⊃ U indicates that if selfishness is absent, then the actions are beneficial. Further, U ⊃ S demonstrates that beneficial actions promote social harmony. Combining these implications, the entire argument suggests that A ⊃ S, that is, practicing honesty, truthfulness, and altruism results in social harmony. This logical framework thus captures the ethical reasoning implicit in the Dalai Lama's message.
  • To analyze this argument comprehensively, constructing a truth table is essential. The truth table evaluates all possible truth value combinations of A, L, U, and S, and tests whether the logical implications hold in each scenario. The provided truth table contains sixteen rows, representing all possible combinations of truth values for these four propositions. Completing the truth table involves applying logical rules for conjunctions, disjunctions, negations, and conditionals. For instance, the rule that the conditional p ⊃ q is false only when p is true and q is false guides the evaluation of each implication. Conversely, when both p and q are true, the implication is true, indicating that the premise leads to the conclusion in that scenario. This systematic evaluation ensures the coherence of the logical structure, and identifying which row corresponds to the actual message in the tweet requires examining the specific truth values that make all implications true.
  • In this context, the row that closely corresponds to the Dalai Lama’s statement is the one where A, U, and S are true, L is false, and all implications are true. This is because the tweet promotes virtues leading to social harmony, which would align with A, U, and S being true, while L (truthfulness) being false suggests that truthfulness is not the necessary prerequisite for the implication chain, or is played with in a way that the final outcome remains positive. By identifying this row, we can see that the overall argument is valid in illustrating that embodying these virtues fosters social harmony, as intended by the Dalai Lama.
  • Reflecting on the ethical and practical significance, the Dalai Lama’s tweet embodies a moral ideal that is deeply relevant to everyday life. Practicing honesty, truthfulness, and altruism promotes trust, reduces conflict, and fosters community, which are vital for societal cohesion. Personally, I agree with the sentiment because these virtues are foundational for building meaningful relationships and promoting social stability. However, in practice, implementing these virtues consistently can be challenging due to contextual complexities and human imperfections. Despite this, striving towards these virtues aligns with personal integrity and societal well-being. Therefore, the message is not only morally commendable but also pragmatically beneficial, emphasizing virtues that contribute to a harmonious and thriving community.
  • References
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