Mr. Hadley Logical Fallacies Test-solved
Appeal to False Authority - Answer-When a respected authority figures is used to
convince people of the argument at hand. The respected name impresses the people,
causing them to agree with the argument.
/.Appeal to Ignorance - Answer-When one argues that there is no conclusive evidence
on the issue so the arguer's conclusion should be understood
/.Ad Hominem - Answer-Person A makes claim X
Person B makes an attack on Person A
Therefore, A's claim is false
/.Slippery Slope - Answer-The assumption is wrong because it is right next to something
that is wrong. Or, it is wrong because it could slide towards something that is wrong.
For example, allowing abortion in the first week of pregnancy would lead to allowing it in
the ninth month
/.Ad Populum - Answer-Using emotionally loaded words to sway the audience's
sentiments instead of their minds
Many emotions can be useful
Plays on prejudice
Ex: Middle Eastern people are terrorists.
/.The Straw Man - Answer-Attacking an exaggerated or caricatured version of your
opponent's position
/.Fallacy of Diversion, "The Red Herring" - Answer-Partway through an argument, the
arguer goes off on a tangent, raising a side issue that distracts the audience from what's
really at stake. Often, the arguer never returns to the original issue.
Example: "Grading this exam on a curve would be the most fair thing to do. After all,
classes go more smoothly when the students and the professor are getting along well."
/.Hasty Generalization - Answer-Making assumptions about a whole group or range of
cases based on a sample that is inadequate (usually because it is atypical or just too
small). Stereotypes about people are a common example of the principle underlying
hasty generalization.
Example: "This winter has been the coldest on record. The last two winters were cold
too. Obviously, there's no global warming going on."
Example: "My roommate said her philosophy class was hard, and the one I'm in is hard,
too. All philosophy classes must be hard!"
Small experience to a larger statement
Appeal to False Authority - Answer-When a respected authority figures is used to
convince people of the argument at hand. The respected name impresses the people,
causing them to agree with the argument.
/.Appeal to Ignorance - Answer-When one argues that there is no conclusive evidence
on the issue so the arguer's conclusion should be understood
/.Ad Hominem - Answer-Person A makes claim X
Person B makes an attack on Person A
Therefore, A's claim is false
/.Slippery Slope - Answer-The assumption is wrong because it is right next to something
that is wrong. Or, it is wrong because it could slide towards something that is wrong.
For example, allowing abortion in the first week of pregnancy would lead to allowing it in
the ninth month
/.Ad Populum - Answer-Using emotionally loaded words to sway the audience's
sentiments instead of their minds
Many emotions can be useful
Plays on prejudice
Ex: Middle Eastern people are terrorists.
/.The Straw Man - Answer-Attacking an exaggerated or caricatured version of your
opponent's position
/.Fallacy of Diversion, "The Red Herring" - Answer-Partway through an argument, the
arguer goes off on a tangent, raising a side issue that distracts the audience from what's
really at stake. Often, the arguer never returns to the original issue.
Example: "Grading this exam on a curve would be the most fair thing to do. After all,
classes go more smoothly when the students and the professor are getting along well."
/.Hasty Generalization - Answer-Making assumptions about a whole group or range of
cases based on a sample that is inadequate (usually because it is atypical or just too
small). Stereotypes about people are a common example of the principle underlying
hasty generalization.
Example: "This winter has been the coldest on record. The last two winters were cold
too. Obviously, there's no global warming going on."
Example: "My roommate said her philosophy class was hard, and the one I'm in is hard,
too. All philosophy classes must be hard!"
Small experience to a larger statement
