Question 1

The following argument commits the fallacy of division: Each car in the lot is a Ford. So the lot is a Ford.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The following argument commits the fallacy of...

Question 2

The following argument commits the fallacy of composition: Water is composed of Hydrogen and Oxygen. These are gases. So water is a gas.

Accepted Answer

The argument incorrectly assumes that properties of the components (hydrogen and oxygen being gases) must also apply to the compound (water), which is a fallacy of composition.

Question 3

Which of the following contain ad hominem fallacies?
1. Senator Smith was involved in serious criminal activities before he was elected. He was let out of jail on a technicality. Senator Smith is the sponsor of the new housing bill. Therefore, the new housing bill is not a good bill.
2. Senator Smith was involved in serious criminal activities before he was elected. A U.S. senator should be trustworthy. Therefore, Senator Smith is not qualified to be a U.S. senator.
3. Professor Jones says that socialism is a good thing. But Professor Jones is a former member of the Communist Party and once advocated killing all priests and nuns. So socialism must not be a very nice system.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following contain ad hominem...

Question 4

Name the Fallacy.
-Joe: We need new laws to protect the disabled. They are being marginalized in our overly competitive society.
red: I disagree. Everybody is disabled in one way or another. Are you going to make a set of laws protecting each person? That would be ridiculous.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-Joe: We need new laws...

Question 5

Name the Fallacy.
-Camper at a summer camp: The camp P.A. system should play rock 'n' roll music.
Camp director: Heavy metal music is devil music-it will destroy the moral fiber of our youth.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-Camper at a summer camp:...

Question 6

Name the Fallacy.
-Nuclear power is dangerous and should be outlawed. I know this is true because Woody Harrelson said so, and he's a famous Hollywood actor.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-Nuclear power is dangerous and...

Question 7

Name the Fallacy.
-Joe: You shouldn't trust anyone in authority.
Rita: Why?
Joe: My college teacher told me so.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-Joe: You shouldn't trust anyone...

Question 8

Name the Fallacy.
-Ed, you really should take Suzie to the prom; after all, she hasn't had a date in a year, and she's really lonely.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-Ed, you really should take...

Question 9

Name the Fallacy.
-You really should not evict that tenant, even though he hasn't paid any rent in six months, for he lost his job, he lost his wife, he lost all his money gambling, and he doesn't have anywhere to go except to move back with his folks.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-You really should not evict...

Question 10

Name the Fallacy.
-You say that all actions are determined, but that is false, for I saw Fred playing basketball last night, and he didn't act very determined about winning.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-You say that all actions...

Question 11

Name the Fallacy.
-This matter is best decided by an authority. Professor Jones isn't much of an authority, for his kids don't obey him (so he has little authority around the house). So Professor Jones should not decide the matter.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-This matter is best decided...

Question 12

Name the Fallacy.
-The sign at the Schaeffer School of Carpentry says: "Enroll in our school and learn how to build a house in three months." So I guess when I graduate, I'll be able to build my own house in three months.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-The sign at the Schaeffer...

Question 13

Name the Fallacy.
-There's no sign saying "No Trespassing," so it must be OK to walk on this property.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-There's no sign saying "No...

Question 14

Name the Fallacy.
-Fred is a good person, and Rita is a good person. So if they get married, they'll make a good couple.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-Fred is a good person,...

Question 15

Name the Fallacy.
-Professor A is a good teacher, and professor B is a good teacher. They plan to team teach a course together next fall, so they will make a good teaching team.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-Professor A is a good...

Question 16

Name the Fallacy.
-Joe has been missing for five years, but he must be alive, because nobody has reported him dead.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-Joe has been missing for...

Question 17

Name the Fallacy.
-We should not pass a bill providing tuition assistance to students, for it we do that, then they'll want all their college paid for by the taxpayer. Eventually, they'll want the state to pay for their food and housing and beer and all their expenses. Then they'll want the taxpayers to pay for all their living expenses and it will bankrupt the state.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Name the Fallacy.
-We should not pass a...

Question 18

Sue has a good voice. Joe has a good voice. So they should make a good musical duo.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sue has a good voice. Joe has...

Quiz 8: Watch Out for Logical Fallacies

The following argument commits the fallacy of division: Each car in the lot is a Ford. So the lot is a Ford.

The following argument commits the fallacy of composition: Water is composed of Hydrogen and Oxygen. These are gases. So water is a gas.

Name the Fallacy. -Joe: We need new laws to protect the disabled. They are being marginalized in our overly competitive society. red: I disagree. Everybody is disabled in one way or another. Are you going to make a set of laws protecting each person? That would be ridiculous.

Name the Fallacy. -Camper at a summer camp: The camp P.A. system should play rock 'n' roll music. Camp director: Heavy metal music is devil music-it will destroy the moral fiber of our youth.

Name the Fallacy. -Nuclear power is dangerous and should be outlawed. I know this is true because Woody Harrelson said so, and he's a famous Hollywood actor.

Name the Fallacy. -Joe: You shouldn't trust anyone in authority. Rita: Why? Joe: My college teacher told me so.

Name the Fallacy. -Ed, you really should take Suzie to the prom; after all, she hasn't had a date in a year, and she's really lonely.

Name the Fallacy. -You really should not evict that tenant, even though he hasn't paid any rent in six months, for he lost his job, he lost his wife, he lost all his money gambling, and he doesn't have anywhere to go except to move back with his folks.

Name the Fallacy. -You say that all actions are determined, but that is false, for I saw Fred playing basketball last night, and he didn't act very determined about winning.

Name the Fallacy. -This matter is best decided by an authority. Professor Jones isn't much of an authority, for his kids don't obey him (so he has little authority around the house). So Professor Jones should not decide the matter.

Name the Fallacy. -The sign at the Schaeffer School of Carpentry says: "Enroll in our school and learn how to build a house in three months." So I guess when I graduate, I'll be able to build my own house in three months.

Name the Fallacy. -There's no sign saying "No Trespassing," so it must be OK to walk on this property.

Name the Fallacy. -Fred is a good person, and Rita is a good person. So if they get married, they'll make a good couple.

Name the Fallacy. -Professor A is a good teacher, and professor B is a good teacher. They plan to team teach a course together next fall, so they will make a good teaching team.

Name the Fallacy. -Joe has been missing for five years, but he must be alive, because nobody has reported him dead.

Sue has a good voice. Joe has a good voice. So they should make a good musical duo.