Posts under ‘Uncategorized’

Question: Hopeless Pairs Answer: Bryon Hines ’15 (1) Some X is Y. Some Z is not X. (2) No X is Y. Some Y is not Z. (3) Some X is not Y. Some Y is not Z.

“All dogs are mammals” is a called a categorical statement because it describes the relationship between two categories of things, namely, dogs and mammals. Categorical statements come in four types: “All X is Y,” “No X is Y,” “Some X is Y,” and “Some X is not Y.” Sometimes a pair of categorical statements (called an [...]

Question: Sucker Voting Answer: Phil Bailey ’13 Though Katherine has come to the conclusion that her vote means quite literally nothing, Katherine should still vote in the 2016 election. I say this not because I believe her vote will have any real effect on the election, as the closest presidential election in United States history [...]

Katherine voted Democrat in 2008, in part because she wanted bipartisan reform of health care, the immediate closing of Guantanamo, and a significant increase in job prospects for young people. Still unemployed and feeling like a sucker by 2012, she hoped for real change by voting Libertarian. That didn’t work either. Then she realized that [...]

Question: Two Bicycles Answer: Luke Schroeder ’13 Romeo is probably Fred’s “real” bike. Let me explain how I reach this conclusion. Fred’s “real bike” will be the one that is identical with Romeo at time T-1, a time when Romeo is certainly Fred’s “real” bike. An identical bike will be the real one because it [...]

Question: Two Bicycles Answer: Ryan Rivas ’15 What we need to solve Fred’s bicycle dilemma are certain distinctions: namely, ontological and temporal distinctions. We are attempting to figure out which bike—Romeo or Juliet—is actually Fred’s “real” bicycle. In response to the problem, I propose that both bicycles are Fred’s real bike. The only difference between [...]

Question: Two Bicycles Answer: Will Russell ’15 Fred’s “real” bicycle is Juliet not Romeo. Fred’s “real” bicycle is Juliet because it consists of all of the original parts. However, it is not Fred’s bicycle any longer because he gave up ownership piece by piece. Juliet is the mechanic’s bike now. The parts once belonged to [...]

Question: Two Bicycles Answer: Evan Boden ’15 Romeo is Fred’s “real” bike because as the components wear down, Fred exchanges them.  While the used components were once a part of Fred’s “real” bike they are no longer, for Fred’s “real” bike is the bike that Fred currently has.  What was once part of Fred’s “real” bike is [...]

Question: Two Bicycles Answer: William Woodall ’13 I am going to argue and claim that both Romeo and Juliet are Fred’s bikes. First off, the old parts, which the mechanic saved, were still once used by Fred while riding, yet the parts were not totally worn down. If the mechanic saved all of the parts, [...]

Fred is so meticulous about maintaining his bicycle, which he has dubbed “Romeo,” that he upgrades components well before they’re worn out. Over the years, he has had tires, brakes, wheels, and even the frame replaced. Indeed, Romeo has been gradually transformed, piece by piece, until not even a single original part remains. Meanwhile, unbeknownst [...]