Question 1

Rich people tend to be snobs because they have materialistic values. Of course they have materialistic values because they fail to appreciate true human qualities. And why do they do this? Because they are condescending and haughty. Naturally they are condescending and haughty because they tend to be snobs.

Accepted Answer

The argument is circular, assuming what it attempts to prove, which is characteristic of begging the question. It starts and ends with the assertion that rich people are snobs without providing independent support for this claim.

Question 2

Which of the following is presented as a factor leading to the commission of informal fallacies?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is presented as...

Question 3

A person of your status will surely want to buy a Lexus. Owning a Lexus is the ultimate expression of cultural refinement, exquisite taste, and financial success.

Accepted Answer

This statement is an example of "Appeal to the people" fallacy, as it suggests that owning a Lexus is associated with positive attributes like cultural refinement, exquisite taste, and financial success, appealing to the desire to be part of a prestigious group.

Question 4

Protons are not combustible, and neither are electrons. It therefore follows that hydrogen, which is composed of protons and electrons, is not combustible.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Protons are not combustible, and neither are...

Question 5

What fallacy often involves collective predication in the premise of an argument?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What fallacy often involves collective predication in...

Question 6

Either you pay my tuition to Stanford or I'll be doomed to a life of mediocrity. I'm sure you don't want that.

Accepted Answer

This is a false dichotomy because it presents only two extreme options - paying for tuition or a life of mediocrity - and ignores other possible solutions or outcomes. It also sets up an ultimatum that is not necessarily true.

Question 7

Which of the following fallacies always involves two arguers?

Accepted Answer

The straw man fallacy involves one arguer misrepresenting the other arguer's argument and attacking that misrepresentation instead of the actual argument. However, it still involves two arguers because the first arguer is responding to the argument of the second arguer.

Question 8

The distributive predication of an attribute is found in:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The distributive predication of an attribute is...

Question 9

Surely little Jimmy isn't responsible for burning down the school. A year ago, Jimmy's dad, whom Jimmy loved dearly, was killed in an accident, and ever since that time Jimmy has collected aluminum cans and mowed lawns to help his poor mother raise his six brothers and sisters.

Accepted Answer

The statement appeals to pity because it attempts to evoke sympathy for Jimmy's difficult circumstances and suggests that he couldn't possibly be responsible for burning down the school due to his unfortunate situation. However, this argument doesn't actually address the evidence or facts of the case, and it is possible that Jimmy could still be responsible for the fire regardless of his personal struggles.

Question 10

"Greensleeves" is a lovely tune. Therefore, every note of "Greensleeves" is a lovely tune.

Accepted Answer

This argument commits the fallacy of division, which assumes that something true of the whole must also be true of its parts. Just because the tune as a whole is lovely does not mean that every individual note is.

Question 11

Given the argument, "If the sky is clear, then the stars are visible. The stars are visible. Therefore, the sky is clear." This argument is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Given the argument, "If the sky is...

Question 12

Which fallacy involves a chain reaction of causes?

Accepted Answer

The fallacy that involves a chain reaction of causes is known as a slippery slope. This fallacy occurs when someone argues that taking a particular action will inevitably lead to a series of negative consequences, or a chain reaction of events. It is often used as a scare tactic to discourage people from taking specific actions or to promote a particular course of action.

Question 13

The appeal to fear is a variety of:

Accepted Answer

The appeal to fear is a type of fallacy where the speaker uses scare tactics to convince the audience to agree with their argument. This can be seen as a type of appeal to the people, as the speaker is trying to manipulate the emotions of the audience to get them to agree with their viewpoint.

Question 14

Which fallacy occurs when a general rule is applied to a specific case that the rule was not intended to cover?

Accepted Answer

This fallacy is called the Fallacy of Accident, or the Fallacy of Sweeping Generalization. It occurs when a general rule is applied to a specific case that the rule was not intended to cover. In other words, a generalization is made without taking into account the specific context or circumstances of the case at hand. This is a fallacy because it ignores important details that may be relevant to the specific case, leading to incorrect conclusions.

Question 15

Andrew said he petted his dog reading a newspaper. Andrew must have a very intelligent dog.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of amphiboly, as the sentence structure is ambiguous and could be interpreted in two different ways. It is unclear whether Andrew was reading the newspaper or if the dog was reading the newspaper while he was petting it.

Question 16

Which of the following fallacies occurs in a valid argument?

Accepted Answer

Begging the question is a fallacy that can occur in a valid argument because it assumes the conclusion within the premises, thus making the argument logically consistent but fallacious in its reasoning.

Question 17

Either Jane Austen was English or she was American. Since Jane Austen was not American, it follows that she was English.

Accepted Answer

The argument correctly applies the process of elimination within a given dichotomy (English or American) and concludes that Jane Austen was English after establishing she was not American. This is a valid form of argumentation, assuming the initial dichotomy is accepted as exhaustive.

Question 18

Professional sports figures are not the clean, upright types people take them to be. Just look at Tiger Woods. He betrayed his lovely wife by engaging in extramarital affairs with several different women.

Accepted Answer

The statement is making a hasty generalization by using the example of Tiger Woods to make a sweeping generalization about all professional sports figures. This is a logical fallacy as it is not fair to generalize about an entire group based on the actions of one individual.

Question 19

Professor Friedman, the great constitutional scholar, says that the First Amendment is the most important part of the Bill of Rights. We therefore conclude that the First Amendment is indeed the most important part of the Bill of Rights.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Professor Friedman, the great constitutional scholar, says...

Question 20

It is permissible for physicians to write prescriptions for drugs. But chiropractors are health care professionals no less than physicians. Therefore, it should be permissible for chiropractors to write prescriptions for drugs.

Accepted Answer

The argument commits the fallacy of weak analogy by assuming that because physicians and chiropractors are both healthcare professionals, they should have the same scope of practice. However, chiropractors do not receive the same level of training as physicians in pharmacology and medication management and are not licensed to prescribe drugs in most states. Therefore, the analogy between physicians and chiropractors is weak, and the conclusion that chiropractors should be able to write prescriptions for drugs is not a sound one.

Quiz 3: Informal Fallacies