Critical Thinking Practice
Ad hominem
Dad tells me that lying is wrong, but I've heard my dad lie. Sometimes he calls in "sick" to work when he actually just goes fishing. Hence, lying isn't really wrong.
False dilemma; deductive argument
Either men are superior to women or women are superior to men. But clearly, men are not superior to women. Hence, women are superior to men.
Deductive argument
Either the "eye for an eye" principle should be interpreted literally in all cases or it shouldn't be interpreted literally in all cases. If it should be interpreted literally in all cases, then the state should torture torturers, mug muggers, and steal from thieves. If it shouldn't be interpreted literally in all cases, then it doesn't require the death penalty for murderers. So, either the state should torture torturers, mug muggers, and steal from thieves, or the "eye for an eye" principle doesn't require the death penalty for murderers.
Generalization
I did a survey of 100 students in the Introduction to Economics courses at Augustana and found that 68% of them believed that making a lot of money was more important than helping other people. It just goes to show how selfish college students are these days.
Deductive argument
If Elvis Presley is still alive, then you can't always trust the media. And without a doubt Elvis Presley is still alive. So clearly, you can't always trust the media.
Straw man; ad hominem; poisoning the well
It is quite clear what the proponents of legalized euthanasia are seeking. Put simply, they are seeking the power to kill anyone who is sick. And that is why I am opposed to legalized euthanasia.
Deductive argument; argument by analogy
It isn't okay for humans to eat animals. If it were okay for humans to eat animals, then it would be okay for super-intelligent aliens to eat humans. But it isn't okay for super-intelligent aliens to eat humans.
Causal argument; post hoc; false cause
Joaquin misses a lot of class because of illness. I've also seen a lot of medicine bottles in his room. It must be that all those pills are making him sick.
Generalization; straw man
Just the other day I saw someone buying Oreo cookies with food stamps. Clearly, most people who get food stamps don't really need them.
Causal argument
Professor Minister recently heard about a large study that showed that, on average, men who are bald make more money [note: this is true]. After reading that, he started taking an herbal supplement to make his hair fall out. This will surely lead to him getting a raise.
Generalization; causal argument
Unemployment among college graduates in the U.S. is currently 2.6%, whereas it is at 5.1% for those without a college degree. Moreover, the median salary for those with a college degree is $67,000, whereas it is $32,000 for those without. Though these numbers fluctuate, in recent times this gap between college graduates and non-college graduates has been persistent. Therefore, if you want to get a job, especially one that pays well, it's a good idea to get a college degree.
Argument by analogy
We should not blame the media for deteriorating moral standards. Newspapers and other media are like weather reporters who simply report the facts. And, of course, we don't blame weather reports for the fact that the weather is bad.
