WGU D265 CRITICAL THINKING SECTION 1
UPDATED EXAM SCRIPT WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS
◉ My nutritionist said that "a vegetarian diet can be healthy."
However, it is absurd to say that we can live on lettuce and carrots
alone. We are not rabbits. Humans need protein.
Which fallacy of relevance does the above argument commit?
Red herring
Ad hominem
Straw person
Appeal to authority.
Answer: Straw person
The arguer replaces the nutritionist's actual position with the
different and far less plausible "straw" claim that humans should eat
only lettuce and carrots.
◉ It is okay to cheat on my taxes. Everyone else does it, so why
shouldn't I?
Which irrelevant appeal does the above argument commit?
Appeal to consequences
,Appeal to authority
Appeal to popularity
Appeal to force.
Answer: Appeal to popularity
The arguer appeals to the alleged popularity of a practice to justify
it.
◉ Which of the following is a fallacy of relevance?
The fallacy of hasty generalization
The fallacy of shifting the burden of proof
The fallacy of anthropomorphism
The genetic fallacy.
Answer: The genetic fallacy
a fallacy of relevance because it involves the mistake of drawing a
conclusion based on information that is not relevant to the
conclusion.
◉ A pen is a writing utensil. Sometimes, animals are kept in a pen.
Thus, sometimes, animals are kept in a writing utensil.
What fallacy is found in this argument?
The fallacy of equivocation
,The fallacy of begging the question
The fallacy of sweeping generalization
The appeal to popularity fallacy.
Answer: The fallacy of equivocation
This fallacy occurs when a term is used in more than one sense in an
argument. In other words, the fallacy involves ambiguity.
◉ ad hominem fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance. is committed when one attacks the
person making an argument rather than the argument itself.
◉ genetic fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance. is committed when one argues that the
origin of an idea is a reason for rejecting (or accepting) that idea.
◉ straw figure fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance. is committed when one misrepresents
another's argument then attacks the misrepresented (weaker)
argument rather than the actual (stronger) argument.
◉ red herring fallacy.
, Answer: fallacy of relevance. is committed when one introduces an
irrelevant topic.
◉ Irrelevent appeals.
Answer: fallacy of relevance. any kind of appeal to a factor
consideration, or reason that isn't relevant to the argument at hand.
◉ appeal to authority fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance-irrelevant appeal. is committed when
one appeals to an unqualified authority in support of one's claim.
◉ appeal to force fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance-irrelevant appeal. is committed when
one uses a threat to compel agreement with one's claim.
◉ appeal to popularity fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance-irrelevant appeal. is committed when
one appeals to the popularity of a belief as a reason to affirm its
truth.
Also called Ad populum or Bandwagon Fallacy
◉ appeal to consequences fallacy.
UPDATED EXAM SCRIPT WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS
◉ My nutritionist said that "a vegetarian diet can be healthy."
However, it is absurd to say that we can live on lettuce and carrots
alone. We are not rabbits. Humans need protein.
Which fallacy of relevance does the above argument commit?
Red herring
Ad hominem
Straw person
Appeal to authority.
Answer: Straw person
The arguer replaces the nutritionist's actual position with the
different and far less plausible "straw" claim that humans should eat
only lettuce and carrots.
◉ It is okay to cheat on my taxes. Everyone else does it, so why
shouldn't I?
Which irrelevant appeal does the above argument commit?
Appeal to consequences
,Appeal to authority
Appeal to popularity
Appeal to force.
Answer: Appeal to popularity
The arguer appeals to the alleged popularity of a practice to justify
it.
◉ Which of the following is a fallacy of relevance?
The fallacy of hasty generalization
The fallacy of shifting the burden of proof
The fallacy of anthropomorphism
The genetic fallacy.
Answer: The genetic fallacy
a fallacy of relevance because it involves the mistake of drawing a
conclusion based on information that is not relevant to the
conclusion.
◉ A pen is a writing utensil. Sometimes, animals are kept in a pen.
Thus, sometimes, animals are kept in a writing utensil.
What fallacy is found in this argument?
The fallacy of equivocation
,The fallacy of begging the question
The fallacy of sweeping generalization
The appeal to popularity fallacy.
Answer: The fallacy of equivocation
This fallacy occurs when a term is used in more than one sense in an
argument. In other words, the fallacy involves ambiguity.
◉ ad hominem fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance. is committed when one attacks the
person making an argument rather than the argument itself.
◉ genetic fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance. is committed when one argues that the
origin of an idea is a reason for rejecting (or accepting) that idea.
◉ straw figure fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance. is committed when one misrepresents
another's argument then attacks the misrepresented (weaker)
argument rather than the actual (stronger) argument.
◉ red herring fallacy.
, Answer: fallacy of relevance. is committed when one introduces an
irrelevant topic.
◉ Irrelevent appeals.
Answer: fallacy of relevance. any kind of appeal to a factor
consideration, or reason that isn't relevant to the argument at hand.
◉ appeal to authority fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance-irrelevant appeal. is committed when
one appeals to an unqualified authority in support of one's claim.
◉ appeal to force fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance-irrelevant appeal. is committed when
one uses a threat to compel agreement with one's claim.
◉ appeal to popularity fallacy.
Answer: fallacy of relevance-irrelevant appeal. is committed when
one appeals to the popularity of a belief as a reason to affirm its
truth.
Also called Ad populum or Bandwagon Fallacy
◉ appeal to consequences fallacy.
