Question

1. a deductive reasoning proof starts with the premise that all parrots have two legs. choose the statement for the second premise that makes the conclusion that jeremy is a parrot invalid.

• jeremy is a parrot.
• jeremy has two legs.
• jeremy has wings.
• jeremy has a beak.

Explanation:

To determine which second premise makes the conclusion "Jeremy is a parrot" invalid, we analyze each option:

• "Jeremy is a parrot" (first option) would directly support the conclusion, making it valid.
• "Jeremy has two legs" (second option): The first premise is "All parrots have two legs" (a universal statement). In deductive reasoning, the converse (if an entity has two legs, it is a parrot) is not logically valid, as many non - parrot entities (e.g., humans, chickens) have two legs. So using "Jeremy has two legs" as the second premise does not guarantee Jeremy is a parrot, making the conclusion invalid.
• "Jeremy has wings" or "Jeremy has a beak" (third and fourth options) are traits associated with parrots, and while not definitive, they are more likely to support (or at least not invalidate) the conclusion compared to the "two legs" premise, as the "two legs" premise relies on a fallacious converse of the original statement.

Answer:

B. Jeremy has two legs