Analyzing Arguments - Example

Define the necessary symbols, rewrite the argument in symbolic form, and use a truth table to determine whether the argument is valid.  If the argument is invalid, interpret the specific circumstances that cause the argument to be invalid.

If you are not in a hurry, you eat at Lulu's Diner.  If you are in a hurry, you do not eat good food.  You eat at Lulu's.  Therefore, you eat good food.

Hypothesis 1:
If you are not in a hurry, you eat at Lulu's Diner
Hypothesis 2:
If you are in a hurry, you do not eat good food
Hypothesis 3:
You eat at Lulu's.

Conclusion:
Therefore, you eat good food.


p:  You are in a hurry.
q:  You eat at Lulu's.
r:  You eat good food.

H1:

H2:
H3:
q

C:
r


p
q
r
~p
q*
H1:  ~r
H2:  H3:  q*
r*
T
T
T
F
T
T
F
F
F
T
F
T
T
T
T
F
F
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
F
F
T
F
T
F
F
T
F
F
F
F
F
T
T
T
F
F
F
F
T
T
T
T
F
F
F
T
F
T
T
T
T
T
F
T
T
T
T
T
T
F
T
F
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F
T
T
F
F
F
T
F
F
F
T
T
F
F
F
T
F
F
T
T
F
F
F
F
T
*These columns are optional.

p
q
r
~p
q*
H1:  ~r
H2:  H3:  q*
r*
T
T
F
F
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
F
The argument is not valid when you are in a hurry, you eat at Lulu's, and you do not eat good food.

p
q
r
~p
q*
H1:  ~r
H2:  H3:  q*
r*
F
T
F
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
F
F
The argument is also not valid when you are not in a hurry, you eat at Lulu's, and you do not eat good food.