Question 1

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 2

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 answer of The time has come to outlaw the...

Question 3

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 in favor of stricter gun control is distorted by misrepresenting it as a call for a complete ban on guns. This misrepresentation of the argument is a straw man fallacy.

Question 4

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

This is the fallacy of composition, which assumes that what is true of the parts must be true of the whole. In this case, it assumes that because the instants that make up an hour have no duration, the hour as a whole has no duration. But this is not true - an hour as a whole does have a duration.

Question 5

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

The statement relies on the authority of a palm reader, who may not have any qualification or evidence to support their claim about Irene's lifespan.

Question 6

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 argument makes a hasty generalization by assuming that because three United Airlines flights were late, all United Airlines flights are late these days.

Question 7

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 is using the slippery slope fallacy, implying that one small action will lead to a series of increasingly negative actions, without providing evidence.

Question 8

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 9

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

This statement is not a fallacy, as it is a logical inference based on the premise that Barbara and Tiffany have identical traits and characteristics. It is reasonable to assume that if the supplement had an effect on Barbara's weight loss, it would have a similar effect on Tiffany. However, it is important to note that individual results may vary, and it is not guaranteed that Tiffany will lose exactly 15 pounds.

Question 10

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

The argument presents a false cause fallacy by assuming that eating a Big Mac for breakfast caused the heart attack and death of Steve without considering other factors that may have contributed to it. A single instance cannot be used to generalize about the outcome of a particular action.

Question 11

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 12

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

This is a straightforward logical deduction based on the given facts and does not involve any fallacy.

Question 13

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 14

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

The speaker is using an emotional appeal by focusing on Scooter Libby's honorable character and his dedication to serving his country in order to elicit sympathy from the audience and argue that he should not have been sent to jail.

Question 15

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 16

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 17

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

The senator's personal life and sexual abilities are irrelevant to the argument for legalizing marijuana, thus it is a red herring fallacy to bring them up.

Question 18

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 19

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

This statement presents two options, abstaining from alcohol completely or getting arrested for drunk driving, as the only possible outcomes. This ignores the possibility of drinking alcohol responsibly without driving while under the influence. Therefore, this is a false dichotomy.

Question 20

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

The argument is attacking the person making the argument rather than addressing the actual argument being made.

Quiz 3: Informal Fallacies

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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?

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.

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

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!