Exam 3: Informal Fallacies

A person of your status will surely want to buy a Lexus. Owning a Lexus is the ultimate expression of cultural refinement, exquisite taste, and financial success.

George argues that prize fighting should be outlawed. But many prize fighters have been great athletes-Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Rocky Marciano, and Joe Louis, to name just a few. Clearly George is mistaken.

Renee Richards argues in favor of reducing the patient load of our nurses. But it's obvious why she says this. Renee is a nurse herself, so of course she wants a reduced patient load. Nobody should pay too much attention to her pleas.

Mr. Fuller, who is running for the U.S. Senate, was seriously wounded during the last war. Therefore, it is certain that he would make a great senator.

"Greensleeves" is a lovely tune. Therefore, every note of "Greensleeves" is a lovely tune.

Sarah argues that all of us should support the school bond issue on the September ballot. But it's obvious why she argues this way. She has six kids currently attending public school. Clearly her argument is worthless.

The time has come to outlaw the use of tobacco in all public places. The noxious vapors from burning cigarettes and the stench of smoldering cigars is revolting to say the least. And that nasty brown slime squirting forth from the foul mouths of chewers is enough to turn one's stomach. End this assault on our health and senses this very instant! Send the filthy tobacco hounds back to where they came from!

Carol's arguments against abortion aren't worth a hoot. I have it on good evidence that Carol got an abortion herself after a high school sweetheart got her pregnant.

The Constitution guarantees freedom of speech for everyone. Therefore, children have a right to sass their parents.

Nobody has ever proved that the ready availability of guns causes an increase in the number of murders and robberies. Hence, we conclude that the availability of guns has no effect on the frequency of these crimes.

Either you send Hallmark cards or you don't care enough to send the very best. Surely you care enough to send the very best. Therefore, you will want to send Hallmark cards.

Frank, I know you'll want to lend me the down payment money for my new house. After all, you wouldn't want the IRS to find out that you failed to report a hundred thousand dollars of income on your last tax return.

The ad for the Ajax house cleaning service reads "Never clean again." Obviously you should never hire that service, because if you do, your house will never be clean again.

More and more cars in this state are unable to pass the fuel emissions test. Therefore, it seems clear we should relax the emissions standard.

You shouldn't worry a minute about dropping these tabs of ecstasy. Absolutely everyone who is the least bit cool is doing it.

In testimony to the court, Harold Geyser, President of the American Accounting Society, said that the CFO of the Abracadabra Corporation falsified the corporation's financial statements. Therefore, members of the jury, you must conclude that the CFO did indeed falsify these statements.

SureShotJoe, who posts regularly on the Yahoo message boards, says that the stock of Super Tech should triple this year. Referring to Super Tech, he writes, "there stock shood goe throo the roof!" We can only conclude that Super Tech offers a great investment opportunity.

You have been rather outspoken lately in your criticism of the administration; but I am sure that you will want to keep your mouth shut in the future, because several of those who have been critical in the past have now lost their jobs.

Tom Larsen could not have written this fine term paper. Tom is as stupid as the day is long, and he can't put three words together to form an intelligent sentence.

After eating a Big Mac for breakfast, poor Steve had a heart attack and died. The message is clear: Never eat a Big Mac for breakfast.