Exam 3: Informal Fallacies

This unopened can of iced tea contains lemon juice. Therefore, every single spoonful of it contains lemon juice.

Movie star Glitzy Glamour says in magazine ads that Sparkle cosmetics are fabulous. Given Glitzy's incredible popularity, we must conclude that Sparkle cosmetics are indeed fabulous, just as she says.

In his testimony to the grand jury, Steve Porter said that the CEO of the Syntex Corporation conspired with the CFO to defraud investors. Therefore, since Porter is in a position to know and has no reason to lie, we can conclude that these officers did indeed engage in such a conspiracy.

Your little Tommy wants a slingshot for his birthday, but you shouldn't give him one. If you do, next he'll want a B-B gun. Then a 22 rifle. After that it will be a high powered rifle, and then an Uzi and an AK-47. Soon he'll want a bazooka and after that an antiaircraft gun. In no time your home will become an armory.

It's dangerous to use a hair dryer while taking a bath. But a rechargeable shaver is an electrical device no less than a hair dryer. Therefore, it's dangerous to use a rechargeable shaver while taking a bath.

Andrew's new smartphone works well in fringe areas. Therefore, probably Madison's new smartphone, which is the same make and model as Andrew's, with the same service provider, works well in fringe areas, too.

A spokesman for the government has argued that our insistence on a twelve percent increase in pay for steel workers is inflationary. But the government's own actions are far more inflationary than ours. The government just gave a fifteen percent increase to every single employee of the giant federal bureaucracy.

During the five years that Clarence has worn a Rolex watch, three of his married friends have gotten a divorce. Thus, to prevent any more divorces, it is essential that he stop wearing that watch.

Sparky the Weasel is clearly unqualified to operate the Paradise Day Care Center for young children. A few years ago Sparky was convicted of fifteen counts of child molestation and statutory rape.

Lake Michigan contains fish. Therefore, every cubic foot of lake Michigan contains fish.

Professional sports figures are not the clean, upright types people take them to be. Just look at Tiger Woods. He betrayed his lovely wife by engaging in extramarital affairs with several different women.

The first thing many airline passengers do on arrival is make a phone call. TravelCom is a company that installs and operates coin operated phones in airports. Therefore, it would be a good idea to buy stock in TravelCom.

Which of the following fallacies arises from a statement made by someone other than the arguer?

Professor Gibson said that he teaches only dead white philosophers. Therefore, it must be the case that all of his students are dead.

Michelle said she saw a man get run over by a car while standing on her porch. We can only conclude that her porch was severely damaged.

Either Thomas Edison or Samuel F. B. Morse invented the telegraph. But it wasn't Edison. Therefore, Morse invented the telegraph.

Connor hasn't a shred of athletic ability, and he does well even to breathe. Therefore, he couldn't have swum across Diamond Lake, as he claims to have done. After all, the lake is 3 miles across.

The Ionic Blast hairdryer does a great job removing the frizz from Francesca's hair. Therefore, since Gabriella's hair is virtually identical to Francesca's, probably the Ionic Blast would do a good job removing the frizz from Gabriella's hair.

Bob, in most respects you seem to be a bright guy. So that leads me to ask: Do you intend to continue voting for stupid Republicans?

Nobody has ever seen Rosie run, jog, lift weights, ride a bicycle, or engage in any other form of exercise. Probably Rosie doesn't get much exercise.