Exam 3: Informal Fallacies

Nobody has ever proved that Ouija boards can't be used to predict the future. It therefore follows that they can be used for this purpose.

United Airlines flight 863 was late arriving in Houston, and flight 722 was late getting into LA-as was flight 429. Apparently all United Airlines flights are late these days.

It's absolutely clear that the U.S. should get out of the U.N. National autonomy should never be turned over to foreign nations.

Never in the past two hundred years have tourists been able to book a flight to the moon. Therefore, it is unlikely that tourists will be able to book a flight to the moon in the next two hundred years.

Given the argument, "If the sky is clear, then the stars are visible. The stars are visible. Therefore, the sky is clear." This argument is an example of:

Every tile on this kitchen floor is light blue in color. Therefore, the entire floor is light blue in color.

Bill, I saw you at the party the other night. You were with a beautiful redhead. Level with me, are you still cheating on your wife?

There is a good deal of concern these days about whether eating fast food is unhealthy. But most fast food is really tasty. Just think of those juicy McDonald's hamburgers dripping with melted cheese, and the wonderful golden fries. And the crispy Chicken McNuggets, the creamy shakes, and the Egg McMuffins. How could anyone complain about today's fast food?

Ed Jackson argues that the war in Iraq was a tragic mistake. But look who's talking! Before his recent discharge, Jackson was participating in the very war he now condemns. Obviously his arguments can't be trusted.

An instant has no duration. But an hour is composed of instants. Therefore, an hour has no duration.

Every ingredient in this new drink concoction is highly alcoholic. Therefore, the drink is highly alcoholic.

Which of the following is presented as a factor leading to the commission of fallacies?

Tom is a bit of a dunce when it comes to mathematics, and he hasn't studied a bit for the next test. Therefore, he probably won't do very well on that test.

Sylvia is a wonderful ice skater. But every ice skater is a person. Therefore, Sylvia is a wonderful person.

Colleen, you know something about American history. Tell me, did the Civil War start in 1860 or 1861?

Which of the following fallacies always involves two arguers?

During the past 100 years the average minimum wage in the U.S. has been less than $3 per hour. Therefore, during the next 100 years the average minimum wage in the U.S. will be less than $3 per hour.

Either Thomas Jefferson or Alexander Hamilton participated in writing the Federalist Papers. But Jefferson did not participate in this project. Therefore, it was Hamilton who participated.

A hundred years ago people listened to recorded music on their gramophones. There are very few gramophones around today. Therefore, probably people listen to less recorded music today than they did a hundred years ago.

If you pay him $200 up front, Freddie promises to paint your garage. But you'd be crazy to pay him anything up front because Freddie lies all the time, and every dime he gets his hands on he uses to feed his methamphetamine habit.