Logic Ch. 3
Mrs. Gladstone's arguments against cuts in Social Security are worthless. As a recipient of Social Security benefits, she would naturally be expected to argue exactly the way she does.
Argument against the person, circumstantial.
Every member of the Viking Society was born in Norway. Therefore, the Viking Society was born in Norway.
Composition.
Either you spend $200 on a pair of True Religion jeans, or everybody will think you're out of style. It's up to you.
False dichotomy.
Jim, it's clear that you want that job with the Acme accounting agency. Therefore, to improve your chances, you should tell the interviewer that if he doesn't give you the job you will kidnap one of his children.
Missing the point.
Every tile on this kitchen floor is light blue in color. Therefore, the entire floor is light blue in color.
No fallacy.
If cleaner cars are produced, then there will be fewer greenhouse gasses. There will be fewer greenhouse gasses. Therefore, cleaner cars will be produced.
This argument contains a formal fallacy.
Some tunes are oldies and some oldies are classics. Therefore, some tunes are classics.
This argument contains a formal fallacy.
America is a wealthy nation. Therefore, every American must be wealthy.
division
Dr. David Sherman of the National Skin Cancer Society reports that tanning salons pose a serious risk for skin cancer. Therefore, we should consider legislation to regulate the tanning industry.
no fallacy
Either Coleridge or Longfellow wrote the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." But it certainly wasn't Longfellow. Therefore, Coleridge wrote it.
no fallacy
It's good to exercise 30 minutes per day because it rejuvenates your body. And we know it rejuvenates your body because people who exercise live longer than those who don't. And we know they live longer because people who exercise feel better. And this is true because it's good to exercise 30 minutes per day.
begging the question
You had better believe in God, because if you don't, then you'll suffer the torment of eternal damnation.
Appeal to force.
Professor Smyth argues for the adoption of stronger standards covering food imported from China. But Smyth is a disgusting leftist ex hippie who reportedly has sex with his female students. Smyth's arguments are trash, just as he is.
Argument against the person, abusive.
Irving is a wonderful cook. But every cook is a human being. Therefore, Irving is a wonderful human being.
Equivocation.
The Ionic Blast hairdryer does a great job removing the frizz from Francesca's hair. Therefore, since Gabriella's hair is virtually identical to Francesca's, probably the Ionic Blast would do a good job removing the frizz from Gabriella's hair.
No fallacy.
The Northern Express railway train is headed north. Therefore, every car on that train is headed north.
No fallacy.
Most of the residents of the City Heights neighborhood are illiterate. Therefore, it would be a good idea to close the City Heights library. After all, nobody uses it.
missing the point
Connor hasn't a shred of athletic ability, and he does well even to breathe. Therefore, he couldn't have swum across Diamond Lake, as he claims to have done. After all, the lake is 3 miles across.
no fallacy
Global warming has never been a big problem in the past. Therefore, it won't be a big problem in the future.
suppressed evidence
Karen argues that it's not right to post the photographs of convicted child molesters on the Internet. Obviously Karen supports child molestation. But these monsters have completely ruined the lives of thousands of children. They can't be allowed to wreak their havoc any longer. Clearly, Karen's argument is misguided.
Straw man.
Carol's arguments against abortion aren't worth a hoot. I have it on good evidence that Carol got an abortion herself after a high school sweetheart got her pregnant.
You, too (tu quoque).
Children should be seen and not heard. Therefore, it was wrong for that drowning child to scream for help.
accident
Mr. President, I would advise you to go along with our plan to use Pakistan 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.
appeal to force
Nobody has ever proved that the Big Bang theory of the universe is true. Therefore, we must conclude that the Big Bang theory is false.
appeal to ignorance
Astronomers study stars. Nicole Kidman is a star. Therefore, astronomers study Nicole Kidman.
equivocation
Performance enhancing drugs are banned from professional sports. But Viagra is a performance enhancing drug. Therefore, Viagra is banned from professional sports.
equivocation
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.
false cause
Nobody has ever heard a monkey talk. Therefore, probably monkeys don't talk.
no fallacy
April Bradley's arguments in favor of solar power are hardly worth listening to. After all, look where she graduated fromNorth East Texas State. That's hardly Ivy League. And look at how she dresses. Yuck!
Argument against the person, abusive.
The number of alcoholics has risen steadily for the past 20 years, and so has the number of treatment centers. Therefore, to cut down on alcoholism we should eliminate the treatment centers.
False cause.
Benny has argued for a long time for a new national park in Montana, but you really shouldn't listen to him. Benny owns a general store in the proposed vicinity, and if the park is created, he stands to profit handsomely from the flow of visitors.
argument against the person, circumstantial
Randy, you have a good eye. Tell me: Do you think this dress makes me look too fat?
No fallacy.
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.
suppressed evidence
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!
appeal to the people
Our weightlifting coach argues with great conviction about the dangers of steroids, but you really can't take him seriously. I've been told by a trustworthy source that when the coach was our age he popped steroid pills every day.
You, too (tu quoque).
The speed limit in this neighborhood is 25 miles per hour. Therefore, it was illegal for that ambulance to drive through here at 50 miles per hour.
accident
Irene will certainly live to a ripe old age because a palm reader told her that earlier today.
appeal to unqualified authority
Mr. Quigley, who is a lobbyist for the oil industry, says that the government should subsidize oil exploration. In view of Mr. Quigley's credentials, it follows that the government should certainly do this.
appeal to unqualified authority
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.
amphiboly
The president of our college has promised to stop drinking on campus. Apparently the president has a drinking problem.
amphiboly
Nobody has ever proved there is intelligent life outside our solar system. Therefore, these efforts to communicate with extraterrestrials are ridiculous.
appeal to ignorance
Members of the jury, surely you will not find defendant Carlos guilty of burglary. Carlos is a visitor from our neighbor to the south, where he has eight young brothers and sisters. Those poor kids and their impoverished mother live a desperate hand-to-mouth existence. Carlos was hoping only to send a few more dollars home to ease their suffering. In the name of humanity, you must vote to acquit this caring brother.
appeal to pity
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 medalnot jail time.
appeal to pity
Can you believe that some parents want to control their kids' access to the Internet? Who are these autocrats who insist on imposing their views on others? This country was born in a spirit of freedom and self determination. Countless patriots have died to preserve our sacred values. We must cherish those values! We must nurture them in our children! End all mind control now and forever!
appeal to the people
Practically all the students in Professor Kane's English class copy their term papers from the Internet. Therefore, since you're in that class, you should do this, too.
appeal to the people
Practically everyone has driven home at one time or other after having had a few drinks. Therefore, you shouldn't have any problem with driving home now, even though you're a bit tipsy.
appeal to the people
Stem cell research is immoral because anything that involves killing innocent human beings is immoral.
begging the question
The Bible is unquestionably true because deep in my heart I feel that it is.
begging the question
The government has no right to spy on its citizens because citizens have a right to privacy. And this is true because such a right is guaranteed by the constitutionwhich follows from the fact that our founding fathers recognized the sanctity of individual privacy against the intrusive power of the government. And of course this is true because the government has no right to spy on its citizens.
begging the question
Bob, in most respects you seem to be a bright guy. So that leads me to ask: Do you intend to continue voting for stupid Republicans?
complex question
Eddie, one of your friends was asking about you the other day. He wanted to know if you were still having sex with 14-year-old girls. What should I tell him the next time I see him? Are you still doing it?
complex question
An instant has no duration. But an hour is composed of instants. Therefore, an hour has no duration.
composition
This cherry pie is delicious. Therefore, every ingredient in this pie is delicious.
division
After spending an entire day fishing, Terry came back with a large minnow. But every minnow is a fish. Therefore, Terry came back with a large fish.
equivocation
Ferguson has directed the college orchestra for the past 8 years, and during that time 5 women players have gotten pregnant. Therefore, to prevent any more pregnancies, Ferguson should be fired immediately.
false cause
My friend Connie used a green Bic pen to solve the problems on her last algebra test, and after the test was graded she got an A. So if you want to get an A in algebra, you should work all the test problems with a green Bic pen.
false cause
Either you abstain from alcohol completely or one of these days you'll get arrested for drunk driving. So, what will it be?
false dichotomy
United Airlines flight 863 was late arriving in Houston, and flight 722 was late getting into LAas was flight 429. Apparently all United Airlines flights are late these days.
hasty generalization
While driving on the freeway a big truck cut me off when it changed lanes. A few days earlier another truck tailgated me, and yet another refused to dim its lights. The conclusion is obvious that truckers these days are as rude as they are reckless.
hasty generalization
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.
no fallacy
By accident Shelley left her old fashioned flashlight turned on all night. Therefore, it's likely that the batteries are dead.
no fallacy
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.
no fallacy
Either Kansas or Ohio is situated on the Mississippi River. But Ohio is not on the Mississippi. Therefore, it must be Kansas.
no fallacy
Every component in this table is made of wood. Therefore, the entire table is made of wood.
no fallacy
Every squirrel that has ever been observed likes nuts. Therefore, probably every squirrel likes nuts.
no fallacy
I know that Harper is a millionaire, but he couldn't have earned that money all by himselfat least not honestly. Harper is a total fool without a shred of business sense, and he wastes every spare nickel on idiotic video games.
no fallacy
If a piece of jewelry is ugly, then it won't sell. Therefore, if a piece of jewelry sells, then it isn't ugly.
no fallacy
If you pay him $200 up front, Freddie promises to paint your garage. But you'd be crazy to pay him anything up front because Freddie lies all the time, and every dime he gets his hands on he uses to feed his methamphetamine habit.
no fallacy
In a random sample of 200 students from Northern State University, 150 said that they own an iPod. Therefore, probably at least 50% of the students at Northern State own an iPod.
no fallacy
It's not possible that Jessica prepared this delicious meal all by herself. Jessica is too stupid to read a cookbook, she can't measure anything, she has absolutely no sense of taste, and she doesn't even know how to boil water.
no fallacy
No spoiled brats are good childhood companions. Therefore, no good childhood companions are spoiled brats.
no fallacy
Nobody has ever seen Tyler play football, baseball, or go skiing or swimming, or engage in any other sport. Probably Tyler doesn't engage in sports.
no fallacy
This cup of coffee contains caffeine. Therefore, every spoonful of it contains caffeine.
no fallacy
Pet owners argue for a law to ensure that pet food is free of lethal contaminants. Apparently they are unaware that half the children of the world eat contaminated food and drink polluted water every day. Thousands of these kids die regularly from cholera. The nations of the world should unite to halt this ongoing tragedy. In the mean time, we can forget about pets.
red herring
Senator Dawson argues in favor of legalizing gay marriage. 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?
red herring
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.
slippery slope
Your little Tommy wants a slingshot for his birthday, but you shouldn't give him one. If you do, next he'll want a B-B gun. Then a 22 rifle. After that it will be a high powered rifle, and then an Uzi and an AK-47. Soon he'll want a bazooka and after that an antiaircraft gun. In no time your home will become an armory.
slippery slope
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.
straw man
Steel wool is excellent for cleaning dirty pots and pans. Therefore, it would be a good idea to use steel wool to clean your dirty car.
weak analogy
Those boarding a bus are never required to pass through a security checkpoint. Therefore, those boarding an airliner should not be required to pass through a security checkpoint.
weak analogy