Logical Fallacies - Week 12 & 13 Exam Questions and
Answers
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY - Answer-Illegitimately arguing that a statement is true
because an authority fi1111 said so, especially when the statement is outside the
authority figure's :111 .1 , ,I expertise.
Philosophy is useless. 7he astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson said so.
/.AD HOMINEM (AGAINST THE PERSON) - Answer-Criticizing the person who makes
a claim or argument rather than criticizing the claim or argument itself
PERSON 1: 7he federal government shouldn't raise the minimum wage because that
would lead to a lot of poor people losing their jobs.
PERSON 2: You don't really care about poor people! You're just a se(fish, rich jerk who
is worried that goods and services will become more expensive for you personally if the
minimum wage goes up.
/.ANECDOTAL FALLACY - Answer-Using personal anecdotes or vivid examples, rather
than adequate data, to support a broad generalization.
My great-grandmother smoked four packs a day for seventy years, and she never, got
lung cancer. 7herefore, cigarettes don't really cause lung cancer.
/.APPEAL TO IGNORANCE (AD IGNORATIUM) - Answer-Arguing that something is
true because it can't be proven false. PERSON 1: Airplanes are secretly spraying
chemicals to control our minds! PERSON 2: 7hat s a nonsense conspiracy theory.
PERSON 1: Can you prove that its not happening?
/.APPEAL TO NATURE - Answer-Arguing that something is good because it's natural or
that it's bad because it's unnatural or artificial.
It's much better to treat illness using natural herbs than with pharmaceuticals.
Pharmaceuticals are full of artificial chemicals!
/.APPEAL TO POPULARITY (AD POPULUM) - Answer-Arguing that something is true
because everyone believes it or that something is good because everyone likes it.
Most Americans agree that the death penalty deters crime. 7herefore, the death penalty
does deter crime.
/.CIRCULAR REASONING (BEGGING THE QUESTION) - Answer-Including or
assuming your conclusion as one of your premises-often as a hidden premise.
PERRSON 1: 7his salesman is trustworthy; he's not going to try to sell me something I
don't need just to get the commission.
PERSON 2: How do you know?
PERSON 1: He told me that all he wants is to help me find the best deal.
, /.COMPOSITION - Answer-Illegitimately arguing that because something is true of each
part of something, it's also true of the whole; or that because something is true of each
member of a group, it's true of the group as a whole.
My greenhouse gas emissions don't make any difference to the climate. Nor does my
neighbor's, or my friend's, or any other individual's emissions. 1herefore, humanity's
greenhouse gas emissions don't make any difference to the climate.
/.DIVISION - Answer-Illegitimately arguing that because something is true of a group or
thing as a whole, it's also true of each part.
The United States is rich. 1herefore, all Americans are rich.
/.EQUIVOCATION - Answer-Using the same word or phrase in two different ways to
make it seem like an argument that works when it really doesn't.
This school is a drug-free zone. Caffeine is a drug, and coffee has caffeine in it.
Therefore coffee isn't allowed in this school
/.FALSE DICHOTOMY (FALSE DILEMMA) - Answer-Falsely assuming that there are
only two options in order to argue for oa11 111 1hcm simply by arguing against the
other.
The Egyptians built the Great Pyramid to align with the magnetic north. Since they didn't
have compasses that is either a complete coincidence or aliens helped them. There is
no way the Great Pyramid is a coincidence. Therefore aliens helped them.
/.GENETIC FALLACY - Answer-Arguing that a statement is false or the argument is
week because of the source (i.e., the genesis) of that statement or argument
PERSON 1: Your uncle told me that I should start saving for retirement in my twenties
because then my retirement investments will have much more time to grow, and I'll end
up with a lot of money when I retire.
PERSON 2: What!? Don't listen to my uncle. He gives terrible advice.
/.HASTY GENERALIZATION - Answer-Arguing for a sweeping generalization on the
basis of too few examples or examples that are not representative of the group as a
whole.
Only one of my friends was enthusiastic about I Hillary Clinton for president. therefore
very few Americans were enthusiastic about Hillary Clinton for
president.
/.POST HOC FALLACY (POST HOC, ERGO PROPTER HOC) - Answer-Illegitimately
arguing that because one event happened after another event, the earlier event caused
the later event. From a Latin phrase meaning "after this, therefore because of this."
1 got a flu shot, and the next day I came down with the flu. 1he flu shot must have given
me the flu.
/.Principle of Charity - Answer-we should interpret someone else's argument in a way
that makes them strongest or most reasonable
Answers
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY - Answer-Illegitimately arguing that a statement is true
because an authority fi1111 said so, especially when the statement is outside the
authority figure's :111 .1 , ,I expertise.
Philosophy is useless. 7he astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson said so.
/.AD HOMINEM (AGAINST THE PERSON) - Answer-Criticizing the person who makes
a claim or argument rather than criticizing the claim or argument itself
PERSON 1: 7he federal government shouldn't raise the minimum wage because that
would lead to a lot of poor people losing their jobs.
PERSON 2: You don't really care about poor people! You're just a se(fish, rich jerk who
is worried that goods and services will become more expensive for you personally if the
minimum wage goes up.
/.ANECDOTAL FALLACY - Answer-Using personal anecdotes or vivid examples, rather
than adequate data, to support a broad generalization.
My great-grandmother smoked four packs a day for seventy years, and she never, got
lung cancer. 7herefore, cigarettes don't really cause lung cancer.
/.APPEAL TO IGNORANCE (AD IGNORATIUM) - Answer-Arguing that something is
true because it can't be proven false. PERSON 1: Airplanes are secretly spraying
chemicals to control our minds! PERSON 2: 7hat s a nonsense conspiracy theory.
PERSON 1: Can you prove that its not happening?
/.APPEAL TO NATURE - Answer-Arguing that something is good because it's natural or
that it's bad because it's unnatural or artificial.
It's much better to treat illness using natural herbs than with pharmaceuticals.
Pharmaceuticals are full of artificial chemicals!
/.APPEAL TO POPULARITY (AD POPULUM) - Answer-Arguing that something is true
because everyone believes it or that something is good because everyone likes it.
Most Americans agree that the death penalty deters crime. 7herefore, the death penalty
does deter crime.
/.CIRCULAR REASONING (BEGGING THE QUESTION) - Answer-Including or
assuming your conclusion as one of your premises-often as a hidden premise.
PERRSON 1: 7his salesman is trustworthy; he's not going to try to sell me something I
don't need just to get the commission.
PERSON 2: How do you know?
PERSON 1: He told me that all he wants is to help me find the best deal.
, /.COMPOSITION - Answer-Illegitimately arguing that because something is true of each
part of something, it's also true of the whole; or that because something is true of each
member of a group, it's true of the group as a whole.
My greenhouse gas emissions don't make any difference to the climate. Nor does my
neighbor's, or my friend's, or any other individual's emissions. 1herefore, humanity's
greenhouse gas emissions don't make any difference to the climate.
/.DIVISION - Answer-Illegitimately arguing that because something is true of a group or
thing as a whole, it's also true of each part.
The United States is rich. 1herefore, all Americans are rich.
/.EQUIVOCATION - Answer-Using the same word or phrase in two different ways to
make it seem like an argument that works when it really doesn't.
This school is a drug-free zone. Caffeine is a drug, and coffee has caffeine in it.
Therefore coffee isn't allowed in this school
/.FALSE DICHOTOMY (FALSE DILEMMA) - Answer-Falsely assuming that there are
only two options in order to argue for oa11 111 1hcm simply by arguing against the
other.
The Egyptians built the Great Pyramid to align with the magnetic north. Since they didn't
have compasses that is either a complete coincidence or aliens helped them. There is
no way the Great Pyramid is a coincidence. Therefore aliens helped them.
/.GENETIC FALLACY - Answer-Arguing that a statement is false or the argument is
week because of the source (i.e., the genesis) of that statement or argument
PERSON 1: Your uncle told me that I should start saving for retirement in my twenties
because then my retirement investments will have much more time to grow, and I'll end
up with a lot of money when I retire.
PERSON 2: What!? Don't listen to my uncle. He gives terrible advice.
/.HASTY GENERALIZATION - Answer-Arguing for a sweeping generalization on the
basis of too few examples or examples that are not representative of the group as a
whole.
Only one of my friends was enthusiastic about I Hillary Clinton for president. therefore
very few Americans were enthusiastic about Hillary Clinton for
president.
/.POST HOC FALLACY (POST HOC, ERGO PROPTER HOC) - Answer-Illegitimately
arguing that because one event happened after another event, the earlier event caused
the later event. From a Latin phrase meaning "after this, therefore because of this."
1 got a flu shot, and the next day I came down with the flu. 1he flu shot must have given
me the flu.
/.Principle of Charity - Answer-we should interpret someone else's argument in a way
that makes them strongest or most reasonable
