Question

...

A doubt this negation argument is valid.

Something is screwy about this…what is it?
This was proposed as

P "all Zygotes are NOT persons"

If ~P (negation of P) finds contradiction, then P is true.

~P has two parts:

~P1 not all Zygotes are not persons
(at least one is a person)

~P2 All Zygotes have to be a person.

In critiquing this formula please be as detailed as is convenient.


asked on Wednesday, Dec 18, 2019 04:36:23 PM by

Top Categories Suggested by Community

Comments

Want to get notified of all questions as they are asked? Update your mail preferences and turn on "Instant Notification."

Reason: Books I & II

This book is based on the first five years of The Dr. Bo Show, where Bo takes a critical thinking-, reason-, and science-based approach to issues that matter with the goal of educating and entertaining. Every chapter in the book explores a different aspect of reason by using a real-world issue or example.

Part one is about how science works even when the public thinks it doesn't. Part two will certainly ruffle some feathers by offering a reason- and science-based perspective on issues where political correctness has gone awry. Part three provides some data-driven advice for your health and well-being. Part four looks at human behavior and how we can better navigate our social worlds. In part five we put on our skeptical goggles and critically examine a few commonly-held beliefs. In the final section, we look at a few ways how we all can make the world a better place.

Get 20% off this book and all Bo's books*. Use the promotion code: websiteusers

* This is for the author's bookstore only. Applies to autographed hardcover, audiobook, and ebook.

Get the Book

Answers

...
skips777
0
P "all Zygotes are NOT persons"....this seems purposely ambiguous. Define "person". May also be begging the question

~P1 not all Zygotes are not persons.....again, more ambiguity. Using the rule of double negation
(at least one is a person)...if one is they all are
These may be valid, but by no means are they sound logic......imo
answered on Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 01:19:56 AM by skips777

Comments

...
Colin P
0
P is ill-defined and ambiguous and has two possible interpretations: either some zygotes are persons, or no zygotes are persons. These are contradictory so any "proof" based on accepting both must be unsound. Negation ~P1 addresses/accepts the first interpretation and negation ~P2 addresses/ accepts the second interpretation. Therein lies the fallacy.
answered on Sunday, Dec 22, 2019 11:30:16 AM by Colin P

Comments