Logic Quizzes

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of composition? a. India is a country and is in Asia, so all countries are in Asia. b. Treatment for mental disorders is less expensive per person than treatment for cancer, so society's total spending on mental disorders is less than total spending on cancer. c. The proposed new bridge would cost very little, would be easy to maintain, and would significantly increase access to downtown businesses, so it should be built. d. Bob Marley was born in Jamaica, so reggae music was born in Jamaica. e. A day of painting is fun, so cleaning brushes must be fun.

. b. Treatment for mental disorders is less expensive per person than treatment for cancer, so society's total spending on mental disorders is less than total spending on cancer.

Fallacy of Division

Assuming that what is true of the whole is true for the parts.

Fallacy: Ad Hominem

Attack on the user instead of the argument

The farm crisis of the 1930s was a direct result of a decade of overproduction. American farmers had increased food production during World War I in order to feed our European allies and U.S. troops. When the war ended, the sudden decrease in demand led to rapidly falling prices. In an attempt to maintain their incomes, farmers increased production even further resulting in more oversupply and falling prices. The U.S. Department of Agriculture obviously behaved irresponsibly by failing to subsidize farmers in order to reduce crop production at the end of the war.

Hindsight Bias

Fallacy: Post Hoc

Suggesting that just because one event occurred after another, the former caused the later.

T or F: The following argument commits "Confirmation Bias:" Rob often checks his horoscope for the day. Last Tuesday it read 'Romance is looking positively wonderful today, with a couple of positive aspects pointing the way for some tender moments for you.' Sure enough, he got a date with a woman he liked.

T

Hindsight bias leads people to say things like a. "I knew that would happen!" b. "No one could have predicted that!" c. "There was virtually no chance of that happening, and yet it did." d. "It isn't at all obvious how she managed to accomplish that." e. "If I had known what was going to happen, I would have prepared for it."

a. "I knew that would happen!"

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of appeal to majority? a. A lot of people prefer the Android operating system to its competitors, so it must be the best operating system. b. There are many people on the street outside my office, so there is probably a parade going by. c. Most people are disenchanted with politics right now, so turnout for the upcoming election is likely to be low. d. Worldwide demand for petroleum products is rapidly increasing, so the price of petroleum will continue to rise. e. Most of my Facebook friends have said that they will attend my birthday party, so they must really like me.

a. A lot of people prefer the Android operating system to its competitors, so it must be the best operating system.

How does the fallacy of appeal to authority involve credibility? a. It assigns expert credibility to someone who doesn't deserve it. b. It fails to recognize the credibility of someone who is an expert. c. It assigns too much credibility to an opponent. d. It attacks the credibility of an opponent, rather than what he or she is saying. e. It ignores the issue of whether or not an opponent has credibility.

a. It assigns expert credibility to someone who doesn't deserve it

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of appeal to ignorance? a. You can't disprove that there is a storm on Jupiter, so there is a storm on Jupiter. b. No one in the class understands the material, so no one in the class will get an A. c. School is not the only place to receive an education, so not everyone needs to attend school to be educated. d. Vincent van Gogh's behavior was incredibly strange, so he was probably an alien. e. Zen meditation involves emptying your mind, so it is the most relaxing form of meditation.

a. You can't disprove that there is a storm on Jupiter, so there is a storm on Jupiter

Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? I think tomorrow will be a nice day, because my mechanic said that he's not expecting rain. a. appeal to authority b. diversion c. ad hominem d. post hoc e. accident

a. appeal to authority

The fallacy of appeal to emotion occurs when someone: a. appeals to emotion rather than evidence to persuade others b. mentions an emotion in the middle of an argument c. tries to tell someone else that his or her emotions are wrong d. tries to make an argument while he or she is extremely emotional e. tries to make an argument to someone else who is extremely emotional

a. appeals to emotion rather than evidence to persuade others

The fallacy of hasty generalization occurs when someone: a. arrives at a general proposition too quickly, on the basis of insufficient evidence b. speaks too fast for others to follow the line of argument c. makes any sort of blanket statement about an entire group d. makes an argument in one step when the argument requires more steps e. dismisses another person's argument before listening to the whole thing

a. arrives at a general proposition too quickly, on the basis of insufficient evidence

Which is committed by the following argument? There has been a blizzard every January for the last three years, so there must always be a blizzard in January. a. hasty generalization b. slippery slope c. division d. composition e. post hoc

a. hasty generalization

We commit a fallacy if we arrive at a general proposition too quickly or on the basis of insufficient evidence. Do we also commit a fallacy if we do the opposite, arriving at a generalization too slowly, or on the basis of too much evidence? a. No. b. Arriving at a generalization too slowly is a fallacy, but relying on too much evidence is not. c. Relying on too much evidence is a fallacy, but arriving at a generalization too slowly is not. d. Either arriving at a generalization too slowly or relying on too much evidence would be a fallacy. e. A fallacy is only committed when we both arrive at a generalization too slowly and on the basis of too much evidence.

a. no

Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? If we allow you to practice on our piano, then we will have to let everyone else practice on our piano and won't have time to manage our other responsibilities. So we can't let you practice on it. a. slippery slope b. composition c. subjectivism d. ad hominem e. post hoc

a. slippery slope

Which fallacy is committed in the following argument? "I choose to believe what I was programmed to believe!"— A superstitious robot, defending his superstitions (Futurama, "The Honking") a. subjectivism b. appeal to majority c. appeal to emotion d. appeal to force e. none

a. subjectivism

The problem with arguments that commit subjectivist fallacies is that: a. they do not provide any evidence that their conclusions are true b. they can only be understood by the person (the subject) who is making them c. they are only valid when their conclusions are true d. they are about difficult subjects that most people don't understand e. they have been subjected to so many changes that they are no longer as clear as they were at the beginning

a. they do not provide any evidence that their conclusions are true

At the Acme Corp. all promotions are publicly announced at the monthly staff meeting. Chloe and Abdulla, two members of the marketing department, sit together during the meeting. As the first few promotions are announced, Abdulla whispers to Chloe, "Same as always, the brownnosers get the promotions." Chloe rolls her eyes and nods in response. They are both visibly surprised when Chloe's name is called next; she's finally received a long-desired promotion. As the group applauds, Abdulla pats her on the back and says, "See, all your hard work paid off." Chloe nods and smiles gratefully.

attribution bias

Which of the following arguments most clearly commits the fallacy of false alternative? a. Seamus has no fingers, so he can't easily type on a standard keyboard. b. Lydia doesn't play the piano, so she must play the organ. c. I can't go to the gym on any day between Monday and Saturday, so I'll have to go on Sunday. d. The car door isn't open, so it must be closed. e. Lemon trees require warm weather all year, so they can't be grown outdoors in Maine.

b. Lydia doesn't play the piano, so she must play the organ.

Confirmation bias is a tendency to a. accept ideas that are supported by logic more than ideas that are not. b. accept evidence that supports our conclusions while dismissing evidence that does not. c. seek additional evidence for ideas that are already proven or well-established. d. dismiss or ignore ideas until they are confirmed by experts. e. treat factual information as mere personal opinion.

b. accept evidence that supports our conclusions while dismissing evidence that does not.

Which fallacy is committed in the following argument? Lois: If there's no food in Quahog, what makes you think there's going to be food anywhere else? Peter: Lois, everyone knows that there are two things that can survive a nuclear holocaust: cockroaches and Twinkies. . . . (Family Guy, "Da Boom") a. subjectivism b. appeal to majority c. appeal to emotion d. appeal to force e. none

b. appeal to majority

Which fallacy of context is committed by the following argument? Our local high school team is great at football, so every player on the team must be great at it. a. post hoc b. division c. slippery slope d. hasty generalization e. composition

b. division

Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? Unless I finish medical school, my life will be an epic fail. a. post hoc b. false alternative c. subjectivism d. ad hominem e. begging the question

b. false alternative

The fallacy of appeal to authority occurs when someone: a. asks for permission before making an argument b. offers the testimony of a non- expert as evidence for a proposition c. with power tries to force his or her opinions onto others d. tries to get a judge to resolve a dispute e. ignores the opinions of those who have no power in society

b. offers the testimony of a non- expert as evidence for a proposition

Which fallacy, if any, is committed in the following argument? These evolutionists believe that a dog can give birth to a cat. How absurd! a. appeal to ignorance b. straw man c. division d. confirmation bias e. none

b. straw man

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of appeal to majority? a. The death penalty should be ended since Karen doesn't believe in it and she is wealthy. b.The Catholic Church should not oppose birth control since many Catholics don't believe that it's wrong. c. China is the world's largest country since it has the most people. d. The cost of gasoline will continue to rise since worldwide demand for it is continuing to increase. e. Most people can expect nicer Christmas presents this year since the economy has been improving.

b.The Catholic Church should not oppose birth control since many Catholics don't believe that it's wrong

Andrew is taking a college admissions exam. He is asked to determine whether the following argument is valid. All billionaires are wealthy. Some fashion designers are not billionaires. Some fashion designers are not wealthy. "Younger, unknown fashion designers are usually not wealthy," reasons Andrew. "They have to work hard and wait for their designs to catch on. The argument must be valid."

belief bias

John and Jeff are discussing immigration. Jeff favors opening borders but John is unsure. Jeff says, "Look, either we subject undocumented immigrants to unsanitary conditions or we allow open immigration. You know the detention centers are overcrowded and unsanitary." John: "You're right. Open immigration is the only thing that makes sense."

belief bias

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of subjectivism? a. Abortion should be illegal since it is an immoral act. b. All civilizations eventually fall, since nothing lasts forever. c. Premarital sex is wrong since that's what I was brought up to believe. d. Cher is an excellent singer since she has beautiful, well- maintained hair. e. The moon landing never happened since it could easily have been faked.

c. Premarital sex is wrong since that's what I was brought up to believe.

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of division? a. Eric Cartman wears a hat, so all humans must wear hats. b. Human beings are animals, so Eric Cartman is an animal. c. The human race evolved 100,000 years ago, so Eric Cartman evolved 100,000 years ago. d. Eric Cartman eats a lot, so Stan Marsh must eat a lot. e. Eric Cartman is a child, so everyone in the Cartman family is a child.

c. The human race evolved 100,000 years ago, so Eric Cartman evolved 100,000 years ago

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of composition? a. Patrick Stewart is bald, so all men are bald. b. My newspaper is flammable, so the front page of my newspaper is flammable. c. The radio in my car was made by Motorola, so Motorola made my car. d. America is wealthy, so New York City is wealthy. e. If the ocean is cold, then the oceanic fish must be cold.

c. The radio in my car was made by Motorola, so Motorola made my car

Is it possible to argue for a deeply held belief about God without committing the fallacy of subjectivism? a. No, because religious beliefs are all matters of opinion. b. No, because if the belief is deeply held, it is impossible to be objective about it. c. Yes, as long as objective reasons are given to support the belief. d. Yes, as long as both people in the discussion have the same religion. e. Yes, as long as the argument is inductive.

c. Yes, as long as objective reasons are given to support the belief

Hindsight bias is a. a reasoning error in which one blames others for one's own mistakes. b. a reasoning error in which one asserts that because something has happened in the past, it must happen again in the future. c. a memory error in which knowing the outcome of an event distorts one's view of the sequence leading up to that outcome. d. a memory error in which one misremembers experiencing things that one actually only read in stories or saw in movies, plays, etc. e. a reasoning error in which one generalizes that all instances of something must be like those one has already observed.

c. a memory error in which knowing the outcome of an event distorts one's view of the sequence leading up to that outcome.

Which fallacy, if any, is committed in the following argument? After centuries of trying, no one has been able to show that reincarnation does not occur. Thus, reincarnation occurs. a. straw man b. appeal to tradition c. appeal to ignorance d. appeal to emotion e. none

c. appeal to ignorance

Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? There is probably no life on Mars because most people agree that there isn't. a. division b. false alternative c. appeal to majority d. slippery slope e. ad hominem

c. appeal to majority

Which fallacy, if any, is committed in the following argument? "Without the discoveries of the great physicist Albert Einstein, the atomic bomb could not have been invented. And Einstein said that it was immoral to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Therefore, it was immoral to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima." a. appeal to emotion b. division c. appeal to questionable authority d. composition e. none

c. appeal to questionable authority

Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? No country that lives under a dictatorship is a happy country, so no one in North Korea is happy. a. begging the question b. composition c. division d. appeal to ignorance e. appeal to force

c. division

Belief bias is a tendency to a. accept only ideas that have the certainty of knowledge, while rejecting those that are only a matter of belief. b. accept only ideas that are a matter of belief, while rejecting those that have the certainty of knowledge. c. let agreement or disagreement with a conclusion affect one's evaluation of the validity or strength of the argument for that conclusion. d. see all evidence as supporting one's own beliefs, even when the evidence clearly contradicts those beliefs. e. dismiss immediately the arguments of those who do not share your religion, philosophy, political views, or other important beliefs.

c. let agreement or disagreement with a conclusion affect one's evaluation of the validity or strength of the argument for that conclusion.

Cognitive biases are: a. prejudices against the views of others due to their sex, skin color, national origin, etc. b. prejudices against others due to the way they think. c. psychological tendencies that can interfere with objectivity. d. tendencies to think that two similar-looking words in two different languages have the same meaning. e. biases that result from careful thinking, rather than preceding it.

c. psychological tendencies that can interfere with objectivity.

Since the fallacy of composition consists of applying what is true of a part to the whole, the fallacy most clearly opposite to composition is: a. slippery slope b. post hoc c.division d. hasty generalization e. false alternative

c.division

Alice is a member of a sorority that prides itself on its honor code. Every week, members renew their vow that they will not lie, cheat, steal, or associate with those who do. Several friends invite Alice to join them in Fort Lauderdale for spring break. Her parents agree she can go but only if she raises the money herself. Alice works hard but is still $100 short of the amount she needs. The night before the trip, she takes $100 from the cookie jar where she knows her mother keeps some money. During her flight to Florida, Alice starts to feel guilty. She thinks, "It's not like its really stealing. That money is for family expenses. I'm a member of this family, so I'm entitled to at least a little of the money."

cognitive disonance

Kira is writing a paper on global warming. Before writing her essay she consults articles on FoxNews.com, The National Review, and the Global Climate Coalition, an organization of businesses opposed to regulation of greenhouse gases.

confirmation Bias

Aspen, a college junior, writes an essay claiming that the majority of Americans favor some sort of socialism. His sociology professor says he must support this claim with evidence and suggests that he do some research. He reports that, according to the Socialism Now! website, 75% of their subscribers say they strongly prefer socialism over capitalism.

confirmation bias

The slippery slope fallacy occurs when someone: a. who has made a mistake encourages others to make the same mistake b. fails to see the potential bad consequences of his actions c. who is losing a debate continues to talk, even though it makes him or her look worse d. posits a sequence of effects without good reason for thinking they will actually follow e. makes an argument too long and complicated for anyone else to follow

d. . posits a sequence of effects without good reason for thinking they will actually follow

If A occurs before B, then: a. A is always the cause of B b. A is never the cause of B c. B is always the cause of A d. A may or may not be the cause of B e. A and B have no causal link

d. A may or may not be the cause of B

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of appeal to emotion? a. Lydia is crying, so she is probably sad. b. If I eat both chocolate bars now, I will feel guilty later. So I shouldn't eat both now. c. This party is supposed to be a celebration, so it is inappropriate for Liam to be sad and depressed. d. Allowing employers to pay such low wages amounts to slavery, so we should raise the minimum wage. e. All dogs are cute and all puppies are dogs. So all puppies are cute.

d. Allowing employers to pay such low wages amounts to slavery, so we should raise the minimum wage.

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of division? a. Monopoly is a board game, so all Parker Brothers games are board games. b. Playing Monopoly last night was fun, so it would also be fun to play again tonight. c. Games are competitive, so Monopoly is competitive. d. Monopoly is a well- designed game, so the hotel pieces are well designed. e. It takes hours to play Monopoly, so it also takes hours to put it away

d. Monopoly is a well- designed game, so the hotel pieces are well designed.

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of subjectivism? a. Since I want to make more money, I should look for a better job. b. Since I want a video game for Christmas, I should tell my parents. c. Since I want to rest tomorrow, I must finish my project today. d. Since I want there to be life on other planets, there is life on other planets. e. Since I want to make sushi to night, I will need to buy some rice.

d. Since I want there to be life on other planets, there is life on other planets.

Which fallacy, if any, is committed in the following argument? "Professor Jackson, this paper merits a B. I stayed up all night working on it. And If I don't get a B, I'll be put on academic probation." a. appeal to authority b. division c. composition d. appeal to emotion e. none

d. appeal to emotion

Which fallacy, if any, is committed in the following argument? "Every sentence in my book is well written. Thus, my book is well written. a. division b. appeal to authority c. appeal to emotion d. composition e. none

d. composition

Which fallacy, if any, is committed in the following argument? "Piet Mondrian's famous painting is made up of a number of distinct rectangles, each of which is brightly colored and beautiful. Thus, the painting itself is beautiful." a. appeal to tradition b. appeal to emotion c. division d. composition e. none

d. composition

Which fallacy, if any, is committed in the following argument? "Immigrants come from every country in the world. Ms. Bashir is an immigrant. Thus, Ms. Bashir come from every country in the world." a. appeal to tradition b. appeal to emotion c. composition d. division

d. division

Expertise in one subject: a. means no expertise in any other subject b. means expertise in many other subjects c. means expertise in all other subjects d. does not guarantee expertise in another subject e. is not compatible with expertise in another subject

d. does not guarantee expertise in another subject

Since appeal to majority is a fallacy, how should we treat a majority opinion? a. deny that it is true b. completely ignore it c. give it less weight than minority opinions d. explore it by looking for objective evidence to support it e. assume that it is true, but look for evidence to support it

d. explore it by looking for objective evidence to support it

Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? If we allow the park to charge admission for this concert, then it'll want to charge admission for other events, and soon nothing at the park will be free anymore. a. composition b. accident c. post hoc d. slippery slope e. division

d. slippery slope

The fallacy of false alternative occurs when: a. all of the premises in an argument are false b. some of the premises in an argument are false c. someone argues that we must accept his or her view because there are no alternatives d. someone excludes relevant alternatives without justification e. someone argues for one view while secretly believing some alternative view

d. someone excludes relevant alternatives without justification

The fallacy of division occurs when someone: a. presents the propositions of an argument in the wrong order b. breaks an argument down into too many parts c. bases an argument on a divisive premise, one with which many people would disagree d. wrongly infers that because something is true of a whole, it must also be true of each part e. wrongly infers that because something is true of a part, it must also be true of the whole

d. wrongly infers that because something is true of a whole, it must also be true of each part

Which of the following arguments commits the post hoc fallacy? a. Trevor always buys ice cream aft er he plays a game of baseball, and he just played baseball, so he will buy ice cream. b. Smoking causes cancer, so everyone who smokes will get cancer. c. Prostitution is legal in Nevada, so it will someday be legal in California. d. More people are leaving the inner city for the suburbs, so the suburbs are growing. e. I counted to three before I operated the slot machine, and I won a lot of money, so I won because I counted to three.

e. I counted to three before I operated the slot machine, and I won a lot of money, so I won because I counted to three.

From the perspective of logic, do our emotions always mislead us? a. Yes, that is why there is a fallacy of appeal to emotion. b. Yes, because they always point us away from the logical conclusion. c. Yes, because they have no basis in reality. d. No, since they always point us toward the logical conclusion. e. No, but they are not considered to be adequate evidence to support a conclusion.

e. No, but they are not considered to be adequate evidence to support a conclusion.

Which of the following arguments commits the ad hominem fallacy? a. No man can experience childbirth, and therefore no man can give a first- person account of the experience. b. Storage containers are made in many different sizes, but I cannot get the size I need because my local store doesn't carry that size. c. If the politician is not trustworthy, then he should not be elected. And he is not trustworthy. d. Myrtle told me that Sally heard from James that Bill saw Ryan spreading gossip. So it must be true. e. Sarah claims that Napoleon provided canned food to his troops, but she's never had a single history class, so we shouldn't listen to her.

e. Sarah claims that Napoleon provided canned food to his troops, but she's never had a single history class, so we shouldn't listen to her.

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of appeal to ignorance? a. Since Cindy got the wrong answer, she must not know how to do calculus. b. I know that all of my ancestry is Korean, so I do not have any Angolan blood. c. Eve should be a dancer, because she doesn't know how to sing. d. Tom shouldn't be trusted to make the cake, since he has demonstrated that he doesn't know what he's doing in the kitchen. e. We can't verify Marvin's alibi for the night of the murder, so he is a suspect.

e. We can't verify Marvin's alibi for the night of the murder, so he is a suspect.

Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of appeal to authority? a. High cholesterol must be bad for you because the surgeon general says so. b. Hosting a talk show must be hard work because Jay Leno says so. c. It's harder to get your first record contract than your second because Lady Gaga says so. d. The Aztec civilization helped to shape the culture of modern Mexico because a leading historian at Yale says so. e. Yogurt is healthier than ice cream because Arnold Schwarzenegger says so.

e. Yogurt is healthier than ice cream because Arnold Schwarzenegger says so.

The fallacy of subjectivism is: a. assuming that an argument is about yourself, rather than someone else b. focusing an argument on a point that is unrelated to the one you're trying to prove c. assuming that everyone will agree with an argument, even though it is controversial d. talking about too many things in an argument instead of focusing on one subject e. holding that something is true merely because we want or believe it to be true

e. holding that something is true merely because we want or believe it to be true

The fallacy of composition occurs when someone: a. presents the propositions of an argument in the wrong order b. connects too many arguments together in a chain c. makes use of source material and fails to cite it (plagiarism) d. infers that because something is true of a whole, it must also be true of each part e. infers that because something is true of a part, it must also be true of the whole.

e. infers that because something is true of a part, it must also be true of the whole.

Which of the following arguments commits the ad hominem fallacy? Smoking isn't dangerous because: a. my grandfather smokes and he is 94. b. it makes you look cool c. everyone does it d. many famous actors are smokers e. my doctor says it is dangerous, but he is a smoker himself

e. my doctor says it is dangerous, but he is a smoker himself

Which fallacy, if any, is committed in the following argument? "Why is murder wrong? Because it takes away everything the victim has and everything he or she will ever have, including all the interesting experiences, fulfilling activities, and rewarding personal relationships." a. division b. composition c. appeal to emotion d. appeal to tradition e. none

e. none

A slippery slope argument is defined as an argument that attempts to: a. persuade another person without giving any real evidence at all b. defend an unpopular, immoral, or vulgar idea by showing that its acceptance by society is unavoidable c. prove something that cannot really be proven d. show that something is desirable for itself, and not for something beyond itself e. show that something ought to be avoided, since it will lead to a series of further consequences, with the final outcome being undesirable

e. show that something ought to be avoided, since it will lead to a series of further consequences, with the final outcome being undesirable

In 2017, Hurricane Harvey threatened the Texas Gulf Coast. The storm conformed to no known historical patterns, making its landfall nearly impossible to predict. The entire Texas coast prepared for the worst. After the devastating storm made landfall at San Jose Island, coastal residents unaffected by the storm were interviewed. "Yes, I prepared to be on the safe side," said one Brownsville, Texas, resident, " . . . but I knew it wouldn't hit here. I knew it all along."

hindsight bias

fallacy of composition

the false assumption that what is true for a part will also be true for the whole