Logical Fallacies [Test] UPDATED ACTUAL
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Appeal to probability - CORRECT ANSWER - assumes that because something could
happen, it is inevitable that it will happen.
"It doesn't matter if I get myself into debt. If I play the lottery enough, I will win the jackpot, and
then I can pay off all my debts."
Argument from fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - assumes that if an argument for some
conclusion is fallacious, then the conclusion itself is false.
" Tom: OK — I'll prove I'm English — I speak English so that proves it.
Bill: But Americans and Canadians, among others, speak English too. You have committed the
package-deal fallacy, assuming that speaking English and being English always go together. That
means you are not English. "
Conjunction fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - assumption that an outcome simultaneously
satisfying multiple conditions is more probable than an outcome satisfying a single one of them.
The probability of two events occurring together (in "conjunction") is always less than or equal
to the probability of either one occurring alone
Masked man fallacy (illicit substitution of identicals) - CORRECT ANSWER - the
substitution of identical designators in a true statement can lead to a false one.
"I know who my father is. I do not know who the thief is. Therefore, my father is not the thief."
Affirming a disjunct - CORRECT ANSWER - concluded that one logical disjunction must
be false because the other disjunct is true; A or B; A; therefore not B.
, " The car is red or the car is large.
The car is red.
Therefore, the car is not large."
Affirming the consequent - CORRECT ANSWER - the antecedent in an indicative
conditional is claimed to be true because the consequent is true; if A, then B; B, therefore A.
" If I have the flu, then I have a sore throat.
I have a sore throat.
Therefore, I have the flu. "
Denying the antecedent - CORRECT ANSWER - the consequent in an indicative
conditional is claimed to be false because the antecedent is false; if A, then B; not A, therefore
not B.
If Queen Elizabeth is an American citizen, then she is a human being.
Queen Elizabeth is not an American citizen.
Therefore, Queen Elizabeth is not a human being.
Existential fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - an argument has two universal premises and a
particular conclusion.
All unicorns are animals.
Therefore, some animals are unicorns.
Affirmative conclusion from a negative premise (illicit negative) - CORRECT ANSWER -
when a categorical syllogism has a positive conclusion, but at least one negative premise.
"No fish are dogs, and no dogs can fly, therefore all fish can fly."
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Appeal to probability - CORRECT ANSWER - assumes that because something could
happen, it is inevitable that it will happen.
"It doesn't matter if I get myself into debt. If I play the lottery enough, I will win the jackpot, and
then I can pay off all my debts."
Argument from fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - assumes that if an argument for some
conclusion is fallacious, then the conclusion itself is false.
" Tom: OK — I'll prove I'm English — I speak English so that proves it.
Bill: But Americans and Canadians, among others, speak English too. You have committed the
package-deal fallacy, assuming that speaking English and being English always go together. That
means you are not English. "
Conjunction fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - assumption that an outcome simultaneously
satisfying multiple conditions is more probable than an outcome satisfying a single one of them.
The probability of two events occurring together (in "conjunction") is always less than or equal
to the probability of either one occurring alone
Masked man fallacy (illicit substitution of identicals) - CORRECT ANSWER - the
substitution of identical designators in a true statement can lead to a false one.
"I know who my father is. I do not know who the thief is. Therefore, my father is not the thief."
Affirming a disjunct - CORRECT ANSWER - concluded that one logical disjunction must
be false because the other disjunct is true; A or B; A; therefore not B.
, " The car is red or the car is large.
The car is red.
Therefore, the car is not large."
Affirming the consequent - CORRECT ANSWER - the antecedent in an indicative
conditional is claimed to be true because the consequent is true; if A, then B; B, therefore A.
" If I have the flu, then I have a sore throat.
I have a sore throat.
Therefore, I have the flu. "
Denying the antecedent - CORRECT ANSWER - the consequent in an indicative
conditional is claimed to be false because the antecedent is false; if A, then B; not A, therefore
not B.
If Queen Elizabeth is an American citizen, then she is a human being.
Queen Elizabeth is not an American citizen.
Therefore, Queen Elizabeth is not a human being.
Existential fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - an argument has two universal premises and a
particular conclusion.
All unicorns are animals.
Therefore, some animals are unicorns.
Affirmative conclusion from a negative premise (illicit negative) - CORRECT ANSWER -
when a categorical syllogism has a positive conclusion, but at least one negative premise.
"No fish are dogs, and no dogs can fly, therefore all fish can fly."
