Philosophy Final Exam, Part Two: Fallacies and Logics
What is the division fallacy?
A fallacy of division is an informal fallacy that occurs when one reasons that something that is true for a whole must also be true of all or some of its parts. (Whole to Part)
What is the composition fallacy?
A informal fallacy that arises when one infers that something is true of the whole from the fact that it is true of some part of the whole. (Part to Whole)
What is the appeal to ignorance fallacy?
Error of assuming that a claim must be true because no one has shown it to be false
True or False? The following claim commits the fallacy of hasty generalization: "Suzanne won the race only if she beat Marilyn. And Suzanne won the race. Thus, Suzanne beat Marilyn."
False
What is the complex question fallacy?
Focuses on a question with a false, disputed, or question-begging presupposition that is "loaded" with that presumption all answers appear to endorse that assumption.
What is the ad hominem fallacy?
It attacks the individual instead of the argument.
What is the hasty generalization fallacy?
Jumping to a conclusions and stating a claim based on little evidence or evidence that is unrepresentative
What is the straw man fallacy?
Misrepresented proposition. Misrepresenting your opponents views so that they may be more easily attacked.
What is the begging the question fallacy?
No argument presented, a circular discussion, repeating the same thing over in different ways.
What is the post hoc fallacy?
The false assumption that because one event occurred before another, it must have caused the event. Cause and effect
True or False? The following dialogue commits the fallacy of begging the question: P: I don't believe God exists. Q: I do. P: Why? Q: Because the Bible says so. P: Why I should take the word of the Bible? Q: Because you can trust the Bible because it is the word of God.
True
What is the accident fallacy?
When an attempt is made to apply a general rule to all situations when clearly there are exceptions to the rule.
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 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.
Whoever thrusts a knife into another person should be arrested. Therefore, because surgeons do this, they should be arrested. a. accident; b. ad hominem; c. slippery slope; d. appeal to emotion; e. none of these
a. accident;
"[The classical liberals] put forward their ideas as immutable truths good at all times and places; they had no idea of historic relativity. . . . The tragedy is that although these liberals were the sworn foes of political absolutism, they were themselves absolutist in the social creed they formulated." a. ad hominem b. appeal to majority c. appeal to authority d. appeal to emotion e. slippery slope
a. ad hominem
My logic teacher says it's a fallacy to appeal to authority, but I noticed in class today that she cited Aristotle in answering an objection we had. a. ad hominem b. appeal to majority c. subjectivism d. appeal to majority e. slippery slope
a. ad hominem
Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? Given that my first date with Bradley was such a disaster, I think every date with him would go badly. a. hasty generalization b. diversion c. slippery slope d. accident e. equivocation
a. hasty generalization
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
Which of the following arguments commits the accident fallacy? a. Tabitha had a collision with a bus. Therefore, Tabitha is to blame. b. It is wrong to take from others against their will. Therefore it is wrong for the government to tax the people. c. Skyscrapers require careful design. Therefore the Empire State Building required careful design. d. All snakes are reptiles. Therefore the Guatemalan milk snake is a reptile. e. All organic compounds contain carbon. Therefore fructose contains carbon.
b. It is wrong to take from others against their will. Therefore it is wrong for the government to tax the people.
Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of begging the question? a. Turtles are reptiles because turtles have scales. b. Society has an obligation to support the needy because people who cannot provide for themselves have a right to the resources of the community. c. The Library of Congress should construct an additional building because the existing buildings are too small for the library's growing collection. d. Swimming across the English Channel is a bad idea because the English Channel is difficult to swim. e. The signs of the Zodiac should be renamed because they have had the same names for thousands of years.
b. Society has an obligation to support the needy because people who cannot provide for themselves have a right to the resources of the community.
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.
What goes up must come down. The price of food has been going up for a long time; thus, it will go down soon. a. appeal to ignorance; b. accident; c. hasty generalization; d. begging the question; e. none of these
b. accident;
Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? Arthur says that there is no gold left in these hills, but he is a notoriousliar and has an interest in keeping others from looking for gold. a. post hoc b. ad hominem c. diversion d. false alternative e. equivocation
b. ad hominem
Teams of scientists attempted over several decades to detect the existence of the luminiferous aether, and all failed to do so. Thus, the luminiferous aether does not exist. a. hasty generalization; b. appeal to ignorance; c. accident; d. ad hominem; e. none of these
b. appeal to ignorance;
Capital punishment is justified for the crimes of murder and kidnapping because it is quite legitimate and appropriate for someone to be put to death for having committed such hateful and inhuman acts. a. appeal to emotion; b. begging the question; c. hasty generalization; d. post hoc; e. subjectivism
b. begging the question
Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? We should all tell the truth all of the time, since no one should ever lie at any time. a. accident b. begging the question c. slippery slope d. equivocation e. appeal to emotion
b. begging the question
The fallacy of begging the question occurs when someone: a. asks a question instead of making an argument b. tries to support a proposition with an argument that has that same proposition as a premise c. changes his or her mind about a proposition in the middle of trying to make an argument for it d. uses a controversial premise without giving it any support e. relies on a "friend's" help to present support for a proposition
b. tries to support a proposition with an argument that has that same proposition as a premise
The following argument commits which, if any, fallacy: Judge: "You have just been convicted of petty larceny." Prisoner: "Your honor, I just looked up your salary; you get paid $200,00 per year. If I'm a thief, you're a bigger one." a. Subjectivism b. Slipper Slope c. Ad Hominem d. Appeal to Emotion e. Division f. None
c. ad hominem
Why should Congress consult the Joint Chiefs of Staff about military funding? They are military men, so obviously they will want as much money as they can get. a. appeal to authority b. appeal to majority c. ad hominem d. slippery slope e. division
c. ad hominem
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.
Which of the following arguments commits the fallacy of begging the question? a. Darth Vader was not childless, since he was Luke Skywalker's father. b. Roman togas were very functional clothing, since they had a pocket on the left side. c. There is no possibility that I will ever find a spouse, because my situation is hopeless. d. The restaurant must be succeeding financially, since it has a lot of customers. e. France is only partially European, since French Guiana is in South America.
c. There is no possibility that I will ever find a spouse, because my situation is hopeless.
Is it ever possible to conclude that two things are causally related without committing the post hoc fallacy? a. No, because conclusions about causality are always false. b. No, because causal conclusions can only be deduced from the order of events. c. Yes, as long as the conclusion isn't based solely on the order of events. d. Yes, as long as the conclusion is based solely on the order of events. e. Yes, as long as we don't try to conclude which is the cause and which is the effect.
c. Yes, as long as the conclusion isn't based solely on the order of events.
"Tall and handsome, [Karl Marx's collaborator Friedrich] Engels had a taste not just for ideas but for the good life—wine, women, riding with the Cheshire hunt—and seems to have felt little sense of irony that all these things were paid for by the proletariat's back-breaking labor." a. subjectivism b. hasty generalization c. ad hominem d. appeal to emotion e. subjectivism
c. ad hominem
Your ad hominem attacks are evidence that your arguments are baseless," wrote user 226. Rodney began typing his reply: "You appear to be too stupid to understand the difference between an insult and an ad hominem attack." a. appeal to emotion; b. post hoc; c. ad hominem; d. appeal to tradition; e. subjectivism
c. ad hominem
Secretary of State John Kerry argues that Israel should hold the line on new settlements in Palestine. Kerry, however, is not Jewish; moreover, he has never shown great affection for Israel. Thus, his arguments are not worth considering. a. appeal to emotion; b. accident; c. ad hominem; d. appeal to ignorance; e. none of these
c. ad hominem;
The book of Mormon is true because it was written by Joseph Smith. He wrote the truth because he was divinely inspired. We know this because the Book of Mormon says it. We can trust this because the Book of Mormon is true. a. ad hominem; b. accident; c. begging the question; d. complex question; e. division
c. begging the question;
Which fallacy, if any, is committed by the following: "Do you think we should keep having these useless meetings"? a. accident b. subjectivism c. complex question d. slippery slope e. none
c. complex question
Which fallacy, if any, is committed in the following: "Why should merely cracking down on terrorism help to stop it, when that method has never worked? Why, we should ask, are we hated in the Muslim world? What did the government do to bring home this nightmare? And, why did nobody learn anything from the press about really is happening in Afghanistan?" a. subjectivism b. appeal to emotion c. complex question d. hasty generalization e. none
c. complex question
You weren't in class today, and you weren't in your room when I called. Why are you avoiding me? a. appeal to ignorance b. appeal to emotion c. complex question d. no fallacy e. subjectivism
c. complex question
Where did you hide the marijuana you were smoking? a. begging the question; b. post hoc; c. complex question; d. ad hominem; e. hasty generalization
c. complex question;
I'm sure this outfit will look great. It's got leopard print, zebra print, plaid, and polka dots, and I like each of those patterns. a. hasty generalization b. accident c. composition d. subjectivism e. no fallacy
c. composition
In an important way, a choir is a living, breathing being, since it is composed of singers, who are living, breathing beings. a. accident b. subjectivism c. composition d. division e. appeal to majority
c. composition
The following argument commits which, if any, fallacy: Mark Twain said to his minister: 'I enjoyed your service today. I have, you know, a book at home which contains every word of it.' 'You have not.' Said the minister. 'I'd love to see it.' 'I'll send it over.' Promised Twain. The next day Twain sent the minister an unabridged dictionary. a. Subjectivism b. Slippery Slope c. Composition d. Division e. Hasty Generalization f. None
c. composition
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
The percentage of whites who are on welfare is higher than the percentage of Asians who are. Whites therefore make up a larger portion of the welfare population. a. accident b. hasty generalization c. division d. appeal to authority e. no fallacy
c. division
Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? Because kittens are soft, their ribs are soft. a. appeal to authority b. subjectivism c. division d. appeal to emotion e. diversion
c. division
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
Switzerland is 48 percent Protestant. Heidi Gilsing is a Swiss. She is, then, 48 percent Protestant. a. composition; b. accident; c. division; d. hasty generalization; e. just absurd
c. division;
The county tax collector issued a press release stating that property tax revenues are higher this year than last. Thus, we conclude that these revenues are indeed higher this year. a. appeal to authority; b. subjectivism; c. none of these; d. division; e. appeal to ignorance
c. none of these;
"Sen. Rudman advanced a 'pizza theory' to resolve disputes; budget negotiators were stalled for five hours but reached agreement 20 minutes after Rep. Aspin had pizza delivered." a. hasty generalization b. subjectivism c. post hoc d. appeal to authority e. ad hominem
c. post hoc
Six months after President Hoover took office in 1929, the stock market crashed, and the Great Depression began. He is therefore responsible for this tragic episode in our nation's history. a. ad hominem b. straw man c. post hoc d. appeal to authority e. none of these
c. post hoc
Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? I broke a vase at the Lawrences' house the last time I visited, and they haven't invited me to any of their parties since. So they must be upset about the vase. a. hasty generalization b. accident c. post hoc d. ad hominem e. appeal to emotion
c. post hoc
Which fallacy of context is committed by the following argument? Betty threw up after she ate my chicken casserole, so it must have made her sick. a. hasty generalization b. division c. post hoc d. accident e. false alternative
c. post hoc
Which fallacy, if any, is committed in the following: "Since I came into office two years ago, the rate of violent crime has decreased significantly. So, it is the case that the longer prison sentences I recommended are working." a. hasty generalization b. accident c. post hoc d. subjectivism e. none
c. post hoc
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 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.
Studies show that most men who are married live longer, happier lives than men who do not get married. Therefore, if Troy wants a long happy life, he should marry Jennifer. a. hasty generalization b. division c. appeal to emotion d. accident e. subjectivism
d. accident
Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? Water is good to drink, so the water in this muddy puddle will be good to drink. a. hasty generalization b. false alternative c. slippery slope d. accident e. division
d. accident
"The insurance companies and [the Republicans] will fight the inclusion of a public option with every bit of power they can muster. They'll call it 'socialized medicine'—but by now we should all have realized that Republicans will call any health care reform Democrats propose 'socialized medicine.'" a. appeal to majority b. subjectivism c. appeal to emotion d. ad hominem e. appeal to force
d. ad hominem
I was a little worried about whether or not it's safe to use mothballs as bath beads. But when I Googled it, I didn't get any results saying that it's dangerous. So it must be safe. a. appeal to majority b. appeal to authority c. appeal to emotion d. appeal to ignorance e. slippery slope
d. appeal to ignorance
As a determinist, I believe that none of our actions results from free choice and that all of them are determined by the strongest motive acting upon us. To be sure, it sometimes does seem that we choose to act on the weaker of two motives. But if so, it only shows that the motive that seemed weaker was really the stronger of the two, since it determined our action. a. subjectivism b. appeal to emotion c. no fallacy d. begging the question e. complex question
d. begging the question
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
The following argument commits which, if any, fallacy: All the works of Shakespeare can't be read in a single day. Macbeth is one of his works. It can't, then, be read in a single day. a. Composition b. Subjectivism c. Appeal to Authority d. Division e. Post Hoc f. None
d. division
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 e. none
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
On the basis of the rambling speech she gave at the school assembly last week, I would say she is not a good public speaker. a. division b. ad hominem c. accident d. hasty generalization e. appeal to emotion
d. hasty generalization
Which fallacy is committed by the following argument? The Sun has eight planets and many asteroids, so it is likely that all stars have planets and asteroids. a. composition b. accident c. appeal to ignorance d. hasty generalization e. begging the question
d. hasty generalization
The ad hominem fallacy occurs when: a. an argument confuses two different words that are spelled the sameway b. someone makes an argument that will only appeal to men, and notto women c. someone assumes that others from his or her culture will agreewith his or her position d. someone attacks the person making an argument instead of theargument itself e. someone says the same thing over and over without making any new points
d. someone attacks the person making an argument instead of theargument itself
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 after 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.
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.
Poverty will continue to increase in the West Stratherford neighborhood, because over time, people there will have less and less money. a. slippery slope b. division c. hasty generalization d. appeal to emotion e. begging the question
e. begging the question
Since the fallacy of accident occurs when we move sloppily from the general to the particular, this fallacy is the opposite of which other fallacy? a. slippery slope b. post hoc c. composition d. division e. hasty generalization
e. hasty generalization
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 appeal to emotion c. not option on canvas d. appeal to tradition e. none
e. none
