Can We Prove That a Proposition Is True by Disproving

question 121

Multiple Choice

Can we prove that a proposition is true by disproving its contradictory?

• A)Yes, because the proposition must be true if its contradictory is false.
• B)Yes, but the proof would lack certainty.
• C)No, but we could prove it by disproving its contrary.
• D)No, but we could prove it by disproving its subcontrary.
• E)No, because both the proposition and its contradictory could be false.

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Definitions:

Ease of Retrieval Effect

A cognitive bias where people judge an event to be more likely or frequent if examples of it come to mind easily.

Primacy Effect

The tendency to remember information at the beginning of a list better than the information that follows.

Upward Counterfactual

involves imagining or thinking about how a situation could have turned out better than it did, often leading to feelings of regret.

Downward Counterfactual

Imagining how situations could have been worse, which can sometimes improve emotional state by making one's current situation seem better in comparison.