Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence D265 Flashcards
"A recent study found that dairy milk is healthier than soy milk. But that finding is
obviously false because the study was conducted by the dairy industry."
Which fallacy of relevance is depicted in this example?
- Post hoc ergo propter
- Irrelevant appeal
- Begging the question
- Genetic fallacy - ANSGenetic fallacy
"If you are not at the game rooting for our high school football team, then you must not
have any school spirit."
Which two statements accurately describe this argument? Choose 2 answers.
- The argument includes a false dichotomy..
- The argument assumes the truth of the conclusion in the premise.
- The argument contains black-and-white thinking.
- The argument mistakes causation for correlation. - ANS- The argument includes a
false dichotomy.
- The argument contains black-and-white thinking.
"Since we cannot go out until the restaurant opens, and given that we are trying to save
money, we should just hang out here until closer to dinner."
Which statements are the premises of the following argument? Choose 2 answers.
- We cannot go out until the restaurant opens.
- We are trying to save money.
- We should just hang out here until closer to dinner.
- We can have a good time without spending money. - ANS- We cannot go out until the
restaurant opens.
- We are trying to save money.
A formal fallacy concerns _______, but an informal fallacy concerns _______. - ANSthe
structure of an argument
By definition, a formal fallacy concerns the structure of an argument and an informal
fallacy concerns the information contained in the argument's structure.
A formal fallacy is a type of _______. - ANSBad argument structure
Formality is associated with structure.
A military veteran is engaged in a heated debate about national security with a reporter
who has never served in the military.
Which response best enables the veteran to undermine the reporter's argument?
,Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence D265 Flashcards
- Pointing out that the premise of the reporter's argument is flawed
- Pointing out the reporter's well-known reputation for taking faulty positions
- Pointing out the reporter's affiliation with news networks that are known to have a
political slant to their coverage
- Pointing out that the reporter has never served in the military - ANSPointing out that
the premise of the reporter's argument is flawed
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 - ANSThe fallacy of equivocation
Ad Hominem Fallacy (Latin for "to the man") - ANSA fallacy of logic in which a person's
character or motive is attacked instead of the person's argument
Aircraft and ships have gone missing all over the planet under unknown circumstances,
but a number of these disappearances have occurred in an area of the North Atlantic
Ocean known as the Bermuda Triangle. So the claim that the Bermuda Triangle is
haunted must be true.
Which fallacy of weak induction best describes this argument?
- Burden of proof shifting
- Slippery slope
- Appeal to ignorance
- Texas sharpshooter - ANSTexas sharpshooter
Algorithm bubble - ANSThe curated and personalized version of online reality that a
website shows you when you log on.
Alief - ANSAn automatic belief-like attitude that can explain how our instinctual
responses can conflict with our reasoned-out beliefs.
All dogs are cute. Ginger is a dog. Therefore, Ginger is cute.
Which type of reasoning is illustrated in this example?
- Deductive
- Invalid
- Inductive
- Abductive - ANSDeductive
,Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence D265 Flashcards
All dogs can fly. Ginger is a dog. Therefore, Ginger can fly.
Which types of reasoning are illustrated in this example? Choose 2 answers.
- Deductive
- Valid
- True
- Sound - ANS- Deductive
- Valid
An individual drops hundreds of objects, and each time they fall to the ground. The
individual therefore concludes that if someone drops a pencil, it will fall.
Which terms describe the argument? Choose 2 answers.
- Deductive
- Valid
- Strong
- Cogent - ANS- Strong
- Cogent
appeal to authority fallacy - ANSerror of accepting a claim merely because an authority
figure endorses it
appeal to consequences fallacy - ANSwhen one appeals to the bad (or good)
consequences of accepting a claim as a reason to reject (or accept) it as true.
appeal to force (fallacy of relevance) - ANSwhen one uses a threat to compel
agreement with one's claim
Appeal to Popularity Fallacy - ANSArguing that a claim must be true because lots of
people believe it.
Availability heuristic - ANSA process where in the mind generalizes based on what is
available to it rather than on what is objectively true.
Bad inferential structure - ANSEvery argument with the same structure as this argument
is bad (invalid or weak). The premises do not, in fact, demonstrate or maybe even
support the conclusion. In other words, we can accept the premises as true without
being compelled to accept the conclusion. There is something wrong with this
argument's general structure.
Because flying cars will relieve traffic congestion, and since the research and
development of such vehicles will be expensive, it follows that the government should
encourage industry to develop flying cars and banks should help fund industry research.
, Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence D265 Flashcards
Which phrases contain conclusions of this argument? Choose 2 answers.
- Flying cars will relieve traffic congestion
- The research and development of such vehicles will be expensive
- The government should encourage industry to develop flying cars
- Banks should help fund industry research - ANS- The government should encourage
industry to develop flying cars
- Banks should help fund industry research
Cogency - ANSStrong inductive arguments with all true premises are cogent.
Cognitive bias - ANSThe way we naturally categorize and make sense of the world
around us.
Complex propositions - ANSComplex propositions have internal logical structure,
meaning they are composed of simple propositions. Whether they are true or false
depends on whether their parts are true or false.
Conclusion Indicators - ANSTherefore, so, it follows that, hence, thus, entails that, we
may conclude that, implies that, wherefore, as a result
Conner and Miller are discussing the topic of intelligent life in other solar systems.
Conner asks Miller, "Do you believe that there is intelligent life in the Alpha Centauri
planetary system?" Miller replies, "I don't know that there isn't intelligent life there.
There's no proof that there isn't. So, I believe there is intelligent life in that planetary
system."
Which fallacy did Miller commit?
- The false dilemma fallacy
- The fallacy of appeal to ignorance
- The fallacy of begging the question
- The fallacy of appeal to the people - ANSThe fallacy of appeal to ignorance
Consider the following argument: If Jones is a baseball player, then Jones is an athlete.
Jones is a baseball player. Thus, Jones is an athlete.
Which kind of argument is this?
- A conditional proposition
- A valid argument
- A strong argument
- An invalid argument - ANSA valid argument
"A recent study found that dairy milk is healthier than soy milk. But that finding is
obviously false because the study was conducted by the dairy industry."
Which fallacy of relevance is depicted in this example?
- Post hoc ergo propter
- Irrelevant appeal
- Begging the question
- Genetic fallacy - ANSGenetic fallacy
"If you are not at the game rooting for our high school football team, then you must not
have any school spirit."
Which two statements accurately describe this argument? Choose 2 answers.
- The argument includes a false dichotomy..
- The argument assumes the truth of the conclusion in the premise.
- The argument contains black-and-white thinking.
- The argument mistakes causation for correlation. - ANS- The argument includes a
false dichotomy.
- The argument contains black-and-white thinking.
"Since we cannot go out until the restaurant opens, and given that we are trying to save
money, we should just hang out here until closer to dinner."
Which statements are the premises of the following argument? Choose 2 answers.
- We cannot go out until the restaurant opens.
- We are trying to save money.
- We should just hang out here until closer to dinner.
- We can have a good time without spending money. - ANS- We cannot go out until the
restaurant opens.
- We are trying to save money.
A formal fallacy concerns _______, but an informal fallacy concerns _______. - ANSthe
structure of an argument
By definition, a formal fallacy concerns the structure of an argument and an informal
fallacy concerns the information contained in the argument's structure.
A formal fallacy is a type of _______. - ANSBad argument structure
Formality is associated with structure.
A military veteran is engaged in a heated debate about national security with a reporter
who has never served in the military.
Which response best enables the veteran to undermine the reporter's argument?
,Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence D265 Flashcards
- Pointing out that the premise of the reporter's argument is flawed
- Pointing out the reporter's well-known reputation for taking faulty positions
- Pointing out the reporter's affiliation with news networks that are known to have a
political slant to their coverage
- Pointing out that the reporter has never served in the military - ANSPointing out that
the premise of the reporter's argument is flawed
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 - ANSThe fallacy of equivocation
Ad Hominem Fallacy (Latin for "to the man") - ANSA fallacy of logic in which a person's
character or motive is attacked instead of the person's argument
Aircraft and ships have gone missing all over the planet under unknown circumstances,
but a number of these disappearances have occurred in an area of the North Atlantic
Ocean known as the Bermuda Triangle. So the claim that the Bermuda Triangle is
haunted must be true.
Which fallacy of weak induction best describes this argument?
- Burden of proof shifting
- Slippery slope
- Appeal to ignorance
- Texas sharpshooter - ANSTexas sharpshooter
Algorithm bubble - ANSThe curated and personalized version of online reality that a
website shows you when you log on.
Alief - ANSAn automatic belief-like attitude that can explain how our instinctual
responses can conflict with our reasoned-out beliefs.
All dogs are cute. Ginger is a dog. Therefore, Ginger is cute.
Which type of reasoning is illustrated in this example?
- Deductive
- Invalid
- Inductive
- Abductive - ANSDeductive
,Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence D265 Flashcards
All dogs can fly. Ginger is a dog. Therefore, Ginger can fly.
Which types of reasoning are illustrated in this example? Choose 2 answers.
- Deductive
- Valid
- True
- Sound - ANS- Deductive
- Valid
An individual drops hundreds of objects, and each time they fall to the ground. The
individual therefore concludes that if someone drops a pencil, it will fall.
Which terms describe the argument? Choose 2 answers.
- Deductive
- Valid
- Strong
- Cogent - ANS- Strong
- Cogent
appeal to authority fallacy - ANSerror of accepting a claim merely because an authority
figure endorses it
appeal to consequences fallacy - ANSwhen one appeals to the bad (or good)
consequences of accepting a claim as a reason to reject (or accept) it as true.
appeal to force (fallacy of relevance) - ANSwhen one uses a threat to compel
agreement with one's claim
Appeal to Popularity Fallacy - ANSArguing that a claim must be true because lots of
people believe it.
Availability heuristic - ANSA process where in the mind generalizes based on what is
available to it rather than on what is objectively true.
Bad inferential structure - ANSEvery argument with the same structure as this argument
is bad (invalid or weak). The premises do not, in fact, demonstrate or maybe even
support the conclusion. In other words, we can accept the premises as true without
being compelled to accept the conclusion. There is something wrong with this
argument's general structure.
Because flying cars will relieve traffic congestion, and since the research and
development of such vehicles will be expensive, it follows that the government should
encourage industry to develop flying cars and banks should help fund industry research.
, Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence D265 Flashcards
Which phrases contain conclusions of this argument? Choose 2 answers.
- Flying cars will relieve traffic congestion
- The research and development of such vehicles will be expensive
- The government should encourage industry to develop flying cars
- Banks should help fund industry research - ANS- The government should encourage
industry to develop flying cars
- Banks should help fund industry research
Cogency - ANSStrong inductive arguments with all true premises are cogent.
Cognitive bias - ANSThe way we naturally categorize and make sense of the world
around us.
Complex propositions - ANSComplex propositions have internal logical structure,
meaning they are composed of simple propositions. Whether they are true or false
depends on whether their parts are true or false.
Conclusion Indicators - ANSTherefore, so, it follows that, hence, thus, entails that, we
may conclude that, implies that, wherefore, as a result
Conner and Miller are discussing the topic of intelligent life in other solar systems.
Conner asks Miller, "Do you believe that there is intelligent life in the Alpha Centauri
planetary system?" Miller replies, "I don't know that there isn't intelligent life there.
There's no proof that there isn't. So, I believe there is intelligent life in that planetary
system."
Which fallacy did Miller commit?
- The false dilemma fallacy
- The fallacy of appeal to ignorance
- The fallacy of begging the question
- The fallacy of appeal to the people - ANSThe fallacy of appeal to ignorance
Consider the following argument: If Jones is a baseball player, then Jones is an athlete.
Jones is a baseball player. Thus, Jones is an athlete.
Which kind of argument is this?
- A conditional proposition
- A valid argument
- A strong argument
- An invalid argument - ANSA valid argument
