Phil Test 3 Examples
You had better get straight A's this year. If you don't, I will take away your car and your allowance.
Appeal to fear/force
70% of a sample of registered Democrats in this state said that they will vote for the Democratic nominee for Senate. So, I predict that the Democratic nominee will definitely get around 70% of the total vote this fall.
Biased sample
He is full of hot air. I learned in chemistry that hot air rises. So, I suspect he will be rising soon.
Equivocation
T/F: Begging the question occurs when an argument uses pity to beg someone to accept the conclusion.
False
The ad for the car claims that it has 20% fewer moving parts. You should buy it; it is less likely to break down in the future.
Misleading precision
I suggest that you don't start taking his advice. after all, he is an orphan
ad hominem circumstantial
your neighbor wants you to buy stock in his company. Don't you know that he is an atheist? It stands to reason that you can't trust anything he says
ad hominem circumstantial
my biology teacher said that bungee jumping is perfectly safe. Therefore, it must be true
appeal to an unqualified authority
90% of those surveyed think we should not send Lindsey Lohan to jail, so you should too
appeal to belief
Hey, everyone speeds. So speeding isn't wrong
appeal to common practice
no one has proven that God doesn't exist. therefore, God must exist
appeal to ignorance
no one has proven that life on other planets does not exist. therefore, it must exist.
appeal to ignorance
yes, it is true that he killed both his parents. Nevertheless, you shouldn't be too hard on him; after all, he is an orphan
appeal to pity
she's the best candidate for the job. I know this, because no one is better qualified.
begging the question
watching TV all day long is stupid because it is dumb
begging the question
you're too short to go on the ride. therefore, you're not tall enough to go on it
begging the question
all the student actors in the school survey said that they thought a special student fee to support acting classes is a good thing. Therefore, the student body as a whole must feel the same way.
biased sample
are you continuing to eat food from dumpsters?
complex question
do you still bully little kids and take their money?
complex question
do you still steal from your church's collection plate?
complex question
every apple in that barrel weighs very little. So , I predict that the barrel of apples weighs very little
composition
one grain of sand is not a pile of sand. therefore, a million grains of sand is not a pile of sand.
composition (small to big)
that's a massive building. it follows that the nails in the building are massive, too
division
the surface of the Earth is about 70% water. therefore, my backyard must be about 70% water.
division
I heard that he bought some topsoil for his backyard. So I guess that means that he has the best soil in the neighborhood.
equivocation
T/F: A hasty generalization occurs when a conclusion follows from the premises only by coincidence.
false
T/F: A post hoc fallacy always involves a long term pattern of results
false
T/F: A slippery slope fallacy appeals to people who are unqualified in a particular scientific discipline
false
T/F: The fallacy of false dichotomy occurs when it is assumed that there is only one possible way for a conclusion to be false.
false
T/F: The fallacy of rigid application of a generalization uses a representative sample as support for as statistical claim about an entire population
false
T/F: a division fallacy is an ambiguity that arises when a poorly constructed statement muddles the intended meaning
false
T/F: a fallacy of misleading precision is a generalization created on the basis of a few instances
false
T/F: a red herring fallacy is a mistake that occurs when a biased sample (non-representative) is used.
false
T/F: fallacies of false arise from dubious statistics that appear to be relevant
false
T/F: in the fallacy of composition that premises act together to support the conclusion
false
T/F: the fallacy of missing point claims that a statement is true only if there is direct conforming evidence to support it.
false
T/F: the straw man fallacy occurs when an argument has at least one false premise
false
I ate 3 mangoes from the Philippines, and they were all sweet. I am sure that every mango from there is sweet.
hasty generalization
I took two vacations to Honolulu and both times it rained. I am sure that is must rain in Honolulu all the time.
hasty generalization
he loves listening to reggae. I guess all people his age love listening to reggae.
hasty generalization
the last 3 times I ate eggs, I got in a car accident. So, the next time I eat eggs. I expect to get in an accident.
post hoc fallacy
you should not give me an F on the exam. The cost of education is going up every year, and the students are having a hard time affording an education. they also are getting in debt more than ever before.
red herring fallacy
everyone should eat raw vegetables at least twice a day. therefore, your 1 month old baby should starting eating raw vegetables.
rigid application of a generalization
everyone should walk or run at least one mile a day. therefore, you should start making your 1-month old daughter start walking or running today.
rigid application of a generalization
that police car was going over 60 mph in a 35 mph zone with its siren blasting. the driver should get a moving vehicle citation
rigid application of a generalization
if you bet on one football game, then the chances are that you will lose. Once you lose, you will then want to get your money back, so you will double your bet. Again, chances are you will lose. Soon, you will be betting your entire paycheck. Then you will borrow money from loan sharks. Your life will be ruined.
slippery slope
my boss caught me playing video games on my office computer during work hours. he said that it was a violation of office policies, and he warned me to stop or I would be fired. Pretty soon, he will try to eliminate coffee breaks or even going to the bathroom. He doesn't have the right to take away all my benefits.
straw man fallacy
T/F: The ad hominem abusive fallacy is distinguished by an attack on alleged character flaws of a person instead of the person's argument
true
T/F: an informal fallacy is a mistake in reasoning that occurs in ordinary language and is different from an error in the form or structure of arguments
true
T/F: equivocation is the intentional or unintentional use of different meanings of words or phrases in an argument
true
my mom told me to start exercising and eating right, so I will live a long and healthy life. But since she has smoked since she was a teenager, I don't need to listen to her advice
tu quoque
you tell me to wear a seat belt when I drive because it will protect me in case I get in an accident. I never saw you wear one when you drive, so why should I wear one?
tu quoque
