Question 1

Even though Jackie is not very bright, she always gets good grades. Therefore, she couldn't possibly have cheated on the last test.

Accepted Answer

The conclusion that Jackie couldn't have cheated based on her consistent good grades despite not being very bright misses the point. The argument fails to directly address the possibility of cheating, instead, it diverts to her academic performance as unrelated evidence.

Question 2

People have the right to use their own property as they choose. Therefore, since Julian is the sole owner of this plot of land, he can use it as a site for a hydrogen bomb factory.

Accepted Answer

The argument commits the fallacy of accident by applying a general principle (people can use their property as they choose) to a specific case (building a hydrogen bomb factory) without considering that there are exceptions to the rule, such as activities that are illegal or pose significant risks to public safety.

Question 3

Paul Derrick, president of Big Tex Oil Co., says that we should open up all coastal waters of the U.S. to oil drilling. He promises that not a speck of pollution will result. Given Derrick's expertise in these matters, it follows that we should open up these waters immediately.

Accepted Answer

This is an appeal to unqualified authority as Paul Derrick's expertise in oil drilling does not necessarily qualify him to make claims about the absence of pollution. Additionally, his position as president of an oil company may also suggest bias in his statements.

Question 4

Ginger, I saw you outside the opera house the other night. Tell me, why don't you enjoy ordinary musical events, like normal people do?

Accepted Answer

This statement contains a complex question, as it assumes that Ginger doesn't enjoy ordinary musical events and asks her to explain why. It also implies that Ginger is not a "normal" person, which is a loaded and potentially offensive assumption.

Question 5

Nobody has ever proved that Ouija boards can't be used to predict the future. It therefore follows that they can be used for this purpose.

Accepted Answer

This is an appeal to ignorance fallacy because it assumes that just because something hasn't been proven false, it must be true. It ignores the fact that there is no evidence or logical reason to believe that Ouija boards have any predictive power.

Question 6

Tim has lost money at the roulette wheel for the last five nights. Therefore, it is extremely likely that he will win tonight.

Accepted Answer

This argument commits the fallacy of false cause by assuming that the previous losses somehow increase the likelihood of winning tonight. The outcomes of previous nights have no influence on the outcome of tonight's game, so there is no logical connection between Tim's previous losses and his chances of winning tonight.

Question 7

Ferguson's argument in favor of deregulating the banking system isn't worth a hoot. Consider this: Ferguson is a banker himself, and if banks are deregulated, he will earn millions.

Accepted Answer

The argument attacks Ferguson's position by pointing out his personal interest in the outcome rather than addressing the merits of his argument. This is an example of an ad hominem circumstantial fallacy, where the argument is dismissed based on the circumstances or personal situation of the individual making the argument, rather than on its merits.

Question 8

Never in the past two hundred years have tourists been able to book a flight to the moon. Therefore, it is unlikely that tourists will be able to book a flight to the moon in the next two hundred years.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Never in the past two hundred years...

Question 9

Fred's argument in favor of lowering the gasoline tax is totally absurd. Fred is a complete loser who has never held a responsible job, and in his darker moments he abuses animals and torments small children.

Accepted Answer

The argument attacks Fred's character instead of addressing his reasoning, which is a fallacy known as argument against the person, abusive.

Question 10

Bertha argues that vitamins and special food supplements are a waste of money. But only yesterday Bertha was seen in a health food store, and her friends report that she takes vitamins every day. Obviously Bertha's argument is crazy.

Accepted Answer

Bertha's argument is invalidated by the fact that she engages in the behavior she claims to be a waste of money. The tu quoque fallacy (you, too) occurs when someone is accused of something and defends themselves by pointing out that their accuser is guilty of the same thing. In this case, Bertha's actions are contradictory to her argument.

Question 11

This carton contains heavy cream. Therefore, it weighs more than that identically sized carton of ordinary cream.

Accepted Answer

Equivocation: The term "heavy cream" is ambiguous. It can refer to cream with a high fat content or cream that is heavy in weight. The argument assumes that "heavy cream" refers to cream with a high fat content, but it could also refer to cream that is heavy in weight.

Question 12

This custard pudding is sweet. Therefore, every spoonful of this custard pudding is sweet.

Accepted Answer

This statement is not fallacious, as it is a simple logical deduction. If the custard pudding is sweet as a whole, then each spoonful of it must also be sweet. There is no error in reasoning, so there is no fallacy present.

Question 13

We don't dare allow the public school teachers to have another week of summer vacation. If we do, then the police will want the same thing. Then it will be the firemen, park rangers, highway patrol, social service workers, highway personnel, and motor vehicle workers. In the end, everyone will be working less for the same amount of money.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a slippery slope fallacy. The argument implies that if teachers are given an extra week of summer vacation, it will lead to a series of events that will ultimately result in everyone working less for the same amount of money. There is no clear evidence or logical basis to support this claim.

Question 14

For the past several years, every time that Ruben has suffered a bout of sneezing, he has come down with a cold. Therefore, to prevent colds in the future, Ruben must constantly suppress the urge to sneeze.

Accepted Answer

The premise that sneezing causes colds is a false cause fallacy since the two events are not necessarily causally related. Therefore, the conclusion that Ruben must constantly suppress the urge to sneeze to prevent colds in the future is also not valid.

Question 15

Republicans are clearly better able to run the country because they're more experienced in handling money.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Republicans are clearly better able to run...

Question 16

Senator Smith, I know you will support the oil drilling bill before the committee, because if you don't, I'll make a huge contribution to your opponent in the next election.

Accepted Answer

This is an appeal to force fallacy because the speaker is using a threat of harm (withholding a donation) to influence the senator's decision, rather than presenting a rational argument in favor of the bill.

Question 17

Adrian argues that it should be illegal for private individuals to carry concealed weapons. Obviously Adrian wants to abolish gun ownership altogether. Just go out and confiscate all the guns. That's what Adrian wants. Well, the Second Amendment gives us the right to bear arms, so Adrian's argument is ridiculous.

Accepted Answer

Adrian's argument is being misrepresented and exaggerated, as they are only arguing for the illegality of carrying concealed weapons, which is a more specific and narrow stance than complete gun confiscation. By portraying Adrian's argument as an extreme position, the speaker is attacking a distorted version of the argument rather than addressing the actual issue at hand. This is a classic example of a straw man fallacy.

Question 18

Frances, since you studied chemistry last year, you should know the answer to this. Is calcium a metal or a nonmetal?

Accepted Answer

There is no fallacy present in the statement, as it simply asks a basic factual question about the properties of an element. It does not rely on any logical errors or flawed reasoning.

Question 19

Ted argues that CEOs should be prevented from selling stock they own in their own companies for ten years. But did you hear that Ted recently broke up with his girlfriend? They carried on a torrid affair for two years, and when she got pregnant, he dumped her. Enough of that. Let's move on to something important.

Accepted Answer

The statement about Ted's personal life is a red herring, as it is irrelevant to the argument being made about CEOs selling their stock.

Question 20

Jackson and Sean are sixteen-year-olds with similar interests. Jackson loves the latest Nintendo video game. Therefore, probably Sean would love it, too.

Accepted Answer

No fallacy. The conclusion is based on the assumption that people with similar interests tend to like the same things. This is a reasonable assumption, and there is no evidence to suggest that it is false.

Quiz 3: Informal Fallacies