Question 1

In a random poll of 400 students from Belview College, 83 percent said that they own a smartphone. Therefore, probably most Belview students own a smartphone.
A) Weak analogy.
B) False cause.
C) Composition.
D) Hasty generalization.
E) No fallacy.

Accepted Answer

The statement does not commit a fallacy; it makes a reasonable generalization based on a significant sample size (400 students), suggesting that it's probable most students at the college own a smartphone.

Question 2

Every player on the varsity chess team is very good. Therefore, the team is very good.
A) Division.
B) Begging the question.
C) Composition.
D) Hasty generalization.
E) No fallacy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Every player on the varsity chess team...

Question 3

Health care is a fundamental right. This is so because citizens have a right to the necessities of life. And this follows from the fact that life is a fundamental right. And naturally this is true because the state has the obligation to protect life. And why is this true? Because the state has an obligation to provide health care. And this follows from the fact that health care is a fundamental right.
A) Begging the question.
B) Red herring.
C) Slippery slope.
D) Missing the point.
E) No fallacy.

Accepted Answer

The argument is circular, as it starts with the conclusion (health care is a fundamental right) and uses that as a premise to support the conclusion. This is an example of begging the question fallacy.

Question 4

Frank, I know you'll want to lend me the down payment money for my new house. After all, you wouldn't want the IRS to find out that you failed to report a hundred thousand dollars of income on your last tax return.
A) Missing the point.
B) Appeal to force.
C) Appeal to pity.
D) No fallacy.
E) Argument against the person, circumstantial.

Accepted Answer

This is an appeal to force because the speaker is using the threat of revealing Frank's hidden income to coerce him into giving a loan.

Question 5

During the two years that Abigail has served as president of the Crescent Society, several of its members have suffered from insomnia. Thus, in the interests of better sleep for these people, the Society should elect a new president.
A) No fallacy.
B) Equivocation.
C) Weak analogy.
D) Appeal to ignorance.
E) False cause.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of the false cause fallacy because there is no logical connection between Abigail's presidency and the members' insomnia. Just because something happens after another thing does not necessarily mean that the first thing caused the second thing. Therefore, the conclusion that a new president should be elected to address the insomnia issue is not logically supported.

Question 6

Either Britney Spears is a surgeon or Annette Bening is an astronaut. Therefore, it follows that either Annette Bening is an astronaut or Britney Spears is a surgeon.
A) No fallacy.
B) Red herring.
C) Begging the question.
D) False dichotomy.
E) Amphiboly.

Accepted Answer

The statement is logically consistent and simply reverses the order of the two conditions, without introducing any logical fallacy.

Question 7

Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan argues in favor of reducing Social Security benefits. But this guy is just another one of those right-wing crazies who has no sense of social responsibility. Nobody should listen to his nonsense.
A) Appeal to unqualified authority.
B) Red herring.
C) Argument against the person, abusive.
D) You, too (tu quoque).
E) No fallacy.

Accepted Answer

The statement attacks Paul Ryan personally, calling him a "right-wing crazy" with "no sense of social responsibility," instead of addressing his arguments for reducing Social Security benefits. This is an ad hominem fallacy, specifically an argument against the person, abusive.

Question 8

This unopened can of iced tea contains lemon juice. Therefore, every single spoonful of it contains lemon juice.
A) Composition.
B) Hasty generalization.
C) No fallacy.
D) Missing the point.
E) Division.

Accepted Answer

The answer of This unopened can of iced tea contains...

Question 9

Every word in this sentence is meaningful. Therefore, the sentence is meaningful.
A) No fallacy.
B) Complex question.
C) Composition.
D) Hasty generalization.
E) Division.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Every word in this sentence is meaningful....

Question 10

Benjamin Franklin wrote, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Therefore, since old Ben would never lie about anything so important as God, we must conclude that God does indeed exist.
A) Appeal to unqualified authority.
B) False cause.
C) No fallacy.
D) Begging the question.
E) Argument against the person, circumstantial.

Accepted Answer

This is an appeal to unqualified authority because Benjamin Franklin, while a respected historical figure, is not necessarily an authority on the existence of God.

Question 11

Marsha Taylor, the college president, argues that it's inappropriate to have condom-dispensing machines on campus. Apparently Taylor is completely anti sex. Just abolish sex altogether. That's what she wants. But without sex there would be no human race. And no animals either. Obviously Taylor's argument makes no sense whatsoever.
A) Missing the point.
B) No fallacy.
C) Red herring.
D) Straw man.
E) Argument against the person, circumstantial.

Accepted Answer

The argument misrepresents Marsha Taylor's stance by exaggerating her position to an absurd degree, which is a classic example of a straw man fallacy.

Question 12

Nobody has ever proved that the ready availability of guns causes an increase in the number of murders and robberies. Hence, we conclude that the availability of guns has no effect on the frequency of these crimes.
A) Missing the point.
B) Composition.
C) No fallacy.
D) Appeal to ignorance.
E) Complex question.

Accepted Answer

This argument commits the fallacy of appeal to ignorance. It assumes that if something has not been proven, then the opposite must also be true. The argument fails to consider other factors that could contribute to the frequency of crimes, and simply because the causal link between gun availability and crime has not been definitively established, it does not mean that such a link does not exist.

Question 13

Andrew's new smartphone works well in fringe areas. Therefore, probably Madison's new smartphone, which is the same make and model as Andrew's, with the same service provider, works well in fringe areas, too.
A) No fallacy.
B) Slippery slope.
C) False cause.
D) Appeal to unqualified authority.
E) Weak analogy.

Accepted Answer

This is a logical deduction based on the assumption that if one phone of a certain make and model works well in fringe areas, then another phone of the same make and model with the same service provider should also work well in fringe areas. There is no fallacy present in this argument.

Question 14

Mary Beth complains that our curriculum is weak in areas relating to diversity. But have you seen that girl's tattoos? They're really something else-especially the red one right above her rear. And she must have a pound of metal stuck in her body. Two big loops hang from her ears, there's a small bar bell through her tongue, and another through her navel. Let's see ... . Shall we move on to the next topic?
A) Straw man.
B) Complex question.
C) No fallacy.
D) Red herring.
E) Argument against the person, abusive.

Accepted Answer

The speaker is deflecting Mary Beth's criticism by bringing up her tattoos and piercings, which is irrelevant to the topic at hand. This is a classic example of a red herring fallacy.

Question 15

So, you insist on going to the movies tonight. Why do you always have to get your own way?
A) No fallacy.
B) Complex question.
C) Straw man.
D) Begging the question.
E) Appeal to force.

Accepted Answer

The statement implies that the person always getting their own way is the reason for wanting to go to the movies tonight. The question also assumes that the person always gets their own way, without providing evidence. This is an example of a complex question fallacy.

Question 16

Whatever is dull is stupid. This knife is extremely dull. Therefore, this knife is extremely stupid.
A) Amphiboly.
B) Begging the question.
C) Equivocation.
D) No fallacy.
E) Composition.

Accepted Answer

The fallacy here is equivocation, which occurs when a word is used in two different senses in an argument. In this case, "dull" is used to mean both "not sharp" and "stupid," which are two different meanings of the word.

Question 17

Whoever fires a gun at another person should be arrested. But those cowboys on the movie set are firing their guns at each other. Thus, those cowboys should be arrested.
A) Hasty generalization.
B) No fallacy.
C) Begging the question.
D) Accident.
E) False dichotomy.

Accepted Answer

The argument commits the fallacy of accident by applying a general rule (anyone firing a gun at another should be arrested) to a specific situation (actors on a movie set) where the general rule should not be expected to apply due to the context of acting or simulation.

Question 18

Paul said that his new dog eats virtually anything and is very fond of children. Therefore, you shouldn't let your little boy get anywhere near that dog.
A) Appeal to unqualified authority.
B) Amphiboly.
C) Equivocation.
D) No fallacy.
E) Suppressed evidence.

Accepted Answer

The statement is an example of amphiboly because it is ambiguous and could be interpreted in different ways. The first part suggests that the dog is not selective in what it eats, while the second part suggests that the dog is friendly towards children. However, the conclusion drawn by Paul that the little boy should not get near the dog is not directly supported by either of these statements.

Question 19

Members of the jury, surely you will not find Dr. Costello liable for amputating the wrong leg of his patient. During four years of medical school this poor man groped and struggled just to get by. Unlike his fellow students, he had no rich parents to pay his way. And during residency he was forced to work 16-hour days, rising before dawn and slaving away long after sunset. And now this lawsuit. Nobody deserves to be treated this way.
A) Red herring.
B) No fallacy.
C) Missing the point.
D) Slippery slope.
E) Appeal to pity.

Accepted Answer

This statement is an appeal to pity, as it attempts to gain sympathy for Dr. Costello based on his difficult background and long hours of work, rather than addressing whether or not he actually amputated the wrong leg of his patient.

Question 20

Either you support the administration's policies or you don't deserve to be called a patriotic American. The choice should be obvious.
A) Accident.
B) False dichotomy.
C) Appeal to force.
D) No fallacy.
E) Suppressed evidence.

Accepted Answer

The statement presents a false dichotomy by suggesting that there are only two options: support the administration's policies or be unpatriotic. This ignores the possibility of disagreeing with some policies while still loving one's country.

Quiz 3: Informal Fallacies

In a random poll of 400 students from Belview College, 83 percent said that they own a smartphone. Therefore, probably most Belview students own a smartphone.

Every player on the varsity chess team is very good. Therefore, the team is very good.

Frank, I know you'll want to lend me the down payment money for my new house. After all, you wouldn't want the IRS to find out that you failed to report a hundred thousand dollars of income on your last tax return.

During the two years that Abigail has served as president of the Crescent Society, several of its members have suffered from insomnia. Thus, in the interests of better sleep for these people, the Society should elect a new president.

Either Britney Spears is a surgeon or Annette Bening is an astronaut. Therefore, it follows that either Annette Bening is an astronaut or Britney Spears is a surgeon.

Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan argues in favor of reducing Social Security benefits. But this guy is just another one of those right-wing crazies who has no sense of social responsibility. Nobody should listen to his nonsense.

This unopened can of iced tea contains lemon juice. Therefore, every single spoonful of it contains lemon juice.

Every word in this sentence is meaningful. Therefore, the sentence is meaningful.

Benjamin Franklin wrote, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Therefore, since old Ben would never lie about anything so important as God, we must conclude that God does indeed exist.

Nobody has ever proved that the ready availability of guns causes an increase in the number of murders and robberies. Hence, we conclude that the availability of guns has no effect on the frequency of these crimes.

Andrew's new smartphone works well in fringe areas. Therefore, probably Madison's new smartphone, which is the same make and model as Andrew's, with the same service provider, works well in fringe areas, too.

So, you insist on going to the movies tonight. Why do you always have to get your own way?

Whatever is dull is stupid. This knife is extremely dull. Therefore, this knife is extremely stupid.

Whoever fires a gun at another person should be arrested. But those cowboys on the movie set are firing their guns at each other. Thus, those cowboys should be arrested.

Paul said that his new dog eats virtually anything and is very fond of children. Therefore, you shouldn't let your little boy get anywhere near that dog.

Either you support the administration's policies or you don't deserve to be called a patriotic American. The choice should be obvious.