Question 1

I know that Harper is a millionaire, but he couldn't have earned that money all by himself-at least not honestly. Harper is a total fool without a shred of business sense, and he wastes every spare nickel on idiotic video games.
A) Appeal to pity.
B) Argument against the person, abusive.
C) No fallacy.
D) Accident.
E) Argument against the person, circumstantial.

Accepted Answer

The answer of I know that Harper is a millionaire,...

Question 2

After eating a Big Mac for breakfast, poor Steve had a heart attack and died. The message is clear: Never eat a Big Mac for breakfast.
A) False cause.
B) Weak analogy.
C) No fallacy.
D) Appeal to unqualified authority.
E) Hasty generalization.

Accepted Answer

There is no clear causal relationship between eating a specific food item and having a heart attack. There are likely other factors that contributed to Steve's heart attack, making it a false cause fallacy to blame the Big Mac.

Question 3

Dr. Sylvia Newman, the world famous biochemist, says that the widespread use of pesticides poses a serious threat to public health. Therefore, we should take this warning seriously and investigate further the extent of the threat.
A) Appeal to force.
B) Appeal to the people.
C) Appeal to unqualified authority.
D) Begging the question.
E) No fallacy.

Accepted Answer

The argument does not contain a logical fallacy. It relies on the expertise of a biochemist to suggest further investigation into the effects of pesticides, which is a reasonable approach.

Question 4

Irene will certainly live to a ripe old age because a palm reader told her that earlier today.
A) Appeal to unqualified authority.
B) Complex question.
C) No fallacy.
D) Begging the question.
E) Suppressed evidence.

Accepted Answer

This is an appeal to unqualified authority, as a palm reader is not a qualified expert in predicting someone's lifespan or health.

Question 5

Every component in this table is made of wood. Therefore, the entire table is made of wood.
A) Composition.
B) Weak analogy.
C) No fallacy.
D) False dichotomy.
E) Suppressed evidence.

Accepted Answer

The statement logically concludes that if every component of the table is made of wood, then the entire table is made of wood. This does not present a fallacy but follows the principle of composition, where the properties of the parts are transferred to the whole.

Question 6

April Bradley's arguments in favor of solar power are hardly worth listening to. After all, look where she graduated from-Northeast Texas State. That's hardly Ivy League. And look at how she dresses. Yuck!
A) Hasty generalization.
B) Begging the question.
C) False cause
D) Argument against the person, abusive.
E) No fallacy.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of argument against the person, which attacks the person making the argument rather than addressing the merits of the argument itself. It is irrelevant where Bradley graduated from or how she dresses in assessing the validity of her arguments in favor of solar power.

Question 7

Performance enhancing drugs are banned from professional sports. But Viagra is a performance enhancing drug. Therefore, Viagra is banned from professional sports.
A) Composition.
B) No fallacy.
C) Appeal to unqualified authority.
D) Amphiboly.
E) Equivocation.

Accepted Answer

The fallacy here is equivocation, which occurs when a word is used in two different senses within an argument. In this case, "performance enhancing" is used in two senses: enhancing athletic performance and enhancing sexual performance.

Question 8

Either you abstain from alcohol completely or one of these days you'll get arrested for drunk driving. So, what will it be?
A) No fallacy.
B) False dichotomy.
C) Straw man.
D) Appeal to force.
E) Missing the point.

Accepted Answer

The statement presents only two options, abstaining from alcohol completely or getting arrested for drunk driving. This is a false dichotomy because there are other options such as consuming alcohol responsibly and legally.

Question 9

Frank Larsen argues for stricter gun control. It appears that Frank wants to abolish access to guns altogether. But if law-abiding citizens can't own a gun, then they will have no means of defending themselves against criminals. Obviously Frank's argument is no good.
A) False cause.
B) Argument against the person, abusive.
C) Straw man.
D) No fallacy.
E) Red herring.

Accepted Answer

Frank's argument is being misrepresented as wanting to completely abolish access to guns, when in fact he may only be advocating for stricter control measures. The suggestion that law-abiding citizens would have no means of defending themselves against criminals is a separate argument and not necessarily related to Frank's position on gun control. This is an example of a straw man fallacy.

Question 10

Barbara lost 15 pounds after taking the new InstaThin supplement for 6 weeks. Tiffany has the same metabolism, lifestyle, diet, body type, age, height and former weight as Barbara. Therefore, probably Tiffany could lose about 15 pounds if she takes InstaThin for 6 weeks.
A) Weak analogy.
B) No fallacy.
C) Amphiboly.
D) Argument against the person, circumstantial.
E) False cause.

Accepted Answer

The argument is based on the assumption that Tiffany and Barbara are similar in all relevant aspects and that InstaThin is effective in helping people lose weight. It does not contain any fallacious reasoning.

Question 11

Mr. President, I would advise you to go along with our plan to use your country as a base of operations for invading Iran. After all, I'm sure you don't want your country bombed back to the stone age.
A) Appeal to the people.
B) Appeal to force.
C) No fallacy.
D) Appeal to pity.
E) Division.

Accepted Answer

This statement is an example of "Appeal to force" because it uses a threat of violence (bombing the country) to coerce the president into agreeing with the plan, rather than using logical reasoning.

Question 12

Umbrella repair has been a dependable job for most of the past 500 years. Therefore, it should be a dependable job for the next 500 years.
A) Accident.
B) False cause.
C) Appeal to the people.
D) Suppressed evidence.
E) Hasty generalization.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Umbrella repair has been a dependable job...

Question 13

The ad for the Ajax house cleaning service reads "Never clean again." Obviously you should never hire that service, because if you do, your house will never be clean again.
A) Equivocation.
B) Appeal to ignorance.
C) You, too (tu quoque).
D) No fallacy.
E) Amphiboly.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The ad for the Ajax house cleaning...

Question 14

Either Coleridge or Longfellow wrote the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." But it certainly wasn't Longfellow. Therefore, Coleridge wrote it.
A) Division.
B) No fallacy.
C) False dichotomy.
D) Appeal to ignorance.
E) Appeal to the people.

Accepted Answer

The argument logically concludes that Coleridge wrote the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by eliminating the only other option (Longfellow), which is a valid form of argumentation, not a fallacy.

Question 15

Senator Dawson argues in favor of legalizing marijuana. But did you know that the senator has been married three times? And his last divorce was a real doozie. His wife went on and on about their sex life. Apparently the Senator is no good in bed. Enough about that issue ... . Shall we move on?
A) Missing the point.
B) Begging the question.
C) Straw man.
D) Red herring.
E) No fallacy.

Accepted Answer

This is a classic example of a red herring fallacy. The argument for legalizing marijuana is completely unrelated to the personal life of the senator and his marital issues. Bringing up his personal life is an attempt to distract from the actual topic at hand.

Question 16

Poor Scooter Libby should never have been sent to jail for lying to a grand jury. Scooter is an honorable man. He devoted his whole life to working for his country. One administration after another asked for his help. And Scooter was always there, ready to serve. Scooter deserved a medal-not jail time.
A) Appeal to unqualified authority.
B) Appeal to force.
C) Appeal to pity.
D) No fallacy.
E) Argument against the person, circumstantial.

Accepted Answer

This is an appeal to pity fallacy, as it presents a sad story about Scooter Libby's life and career to evoke sympathy, instead of addressing the actual accusations against him.

Question 17

United Airlines flight 863 was late arriving in Houston, and flight 722 was late getting into LA-as was flight 429. Apparently all United Airlines flights are late these days.
A) Hasty generalization.
B) False cause.
C) No fallacy.
D) Composition.
E) Accident.

Accepted Answer

The statement is drawing a conclusion about all United Airlines flights based on a few examples of delayed flights, which is a hasty generalization.

Question 18

Whatever you do, never buy a lottery ticket. If you do, soon you'll be betting on horses. Next it will be slot machines in Las Vegas, and then black jack and high stakes poker. In the end you'll be totally broke.
A) Slippery slope.
B) No fallacy.
C) Complex question.
D) False cause.
E) Missing the point.

Accepted Answer

The argument presents a slippery slope fallacy, where it assumes that one action (buying a lottery ticket) will inevitably lead to a series of negative events. This is a logical fallacy as it ignores the possibility of other factors and assumes a causal relationship between unrelated events.

Question 19

An instant has no duration. But an hour is composed of instants. Therefore, an hour has no duration.
A) Division.
B) Amphiboly.
C) Composition.
D) Red herring.
E) No fallacy.

Accepted Answer

The argument commits the fallacy of composition, which is the assumption that what is true for the parts must be true for the whole. Just because instants have no duration does not mean that an hour, which is composed of many instants, also has no duration. This is a faulty inference based on the incorrect assumption that the properties of the parts must apply to the whole.

Question 20

The time has come to outlaw the use of tobacco in all public places. The noxious vapors from burning cigarettes and the stench of smoldering cigars is revolting to say the least. And that nasty brown slime squirting forth from the foul mouths of chewers is enough to turn one's stomach. End this assault on our health and senses this very instant! Send the filthy tobacco hounds back to where they came from!
A) No fallacy.
B) Missing the point.
C) Slippery slope.
D) Appeal to the people.
E) Appeal to pity.

Accepted Answer

The argument is an appeal to the people because it tries to persuade the reader by appealing to their emotions and prejudices.

Quiz 3: Informal Fallacies

I know that Harper is a millionaire, but he couldn't have earned that money all by himself-at least not honestly. Harper is a total fool without a shred of business sense, and he wastes every spare nickel on idiotic video games.

After eating a Big Mac for breakfast, poor Steve had a heart attack and died. The message is clear: Never eat a Big Mac for breakfast.

Dr. Sylvia Newman, the world famous biochemist, says that the widespread use of pesticides poses a serious threat to public health. Therefore, we should take this warning seriously and investigate further the extent of the threat.

Irene will certainly live to a ripe old age because a palm reader told her that earlier today.

Every component in this table is made of wood. Therefore, the entire table is made of wood.

April Bradley's arguments in favor of solar power are hardly worth listening to. After all, look where she graduated from-Northeast Texas State. That's hardly Ivy League. And look at how she dresses. Yuck!

Performance enhancing drugs are banned from professional sports. But Viagra is a performance enhancing drug. Therefore, Viagra is banned from professional sports.

Either you abstain from alcohol completely or one of these days you'll get arrested for drunk driving. So, what will it be?

Frank Larsen argues for stricter gun control. It appears that Frank wants to abolish access to guns altogether. But if law-abiding citizens can't own a gun, then they will have no means of defending themselves against criminals. Obviously Frank's argument is no good.

Barbara lost 15 pounds after taking the new InstaThin supplement for 6 weeks. Tiffany has the same metabolism, lifestyle, diet, body type, age, height and former weight as Barbara. Therefore, probably Tiffany could lose about 15 pounds if she takes InstaThin for 6 weeks.

Mr. President, I would advise you to go along with our plan to use your country as a base of operations for invading Iran. After all, I'm sure you don't want your country bombed back to the stone age.

Umbrella repair has been a dependable job for most of the past 500 years. Therefore, it should be a dependable job for the next 500 years.

The ad for the Ajax house cleaning service reads "Never clean again." Obviously you should never hire that service, because if you do, your house will never be clean again.

Either Coleridge or Longfellow wrote the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." But it certainly wasn't Longfellow. Therefore, Coleridge wrote it.

Senator Dawson argues in favor of legalizing marijuana. But did you know that the senator has been married three times? And his last divorce was a real doozie. His wife went on and on about their sex life. Apparently the Senator is no good in bed. Enough about that issue ... . Shall we move on?

United Airlines flight 863 was late arriving in Houston, and flight 722 was late getting into LA-as was flight 429. Apparently all United Airlines flights are late these days.

Whatever you do, never buy a lottery ticket. If you do, soon you'll be betting on horses. Next it will be slot machines in Las Vegas, and then black jack and high stakes poker. In the end you'll be totally broke.

An instant has no duration. But an hour is composed of instants. Therefore, an hour has no duration.