Exam 3: Informal Fallacies

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.

If cleaner cars are produced, then there will be fewer greenhouse gasses. There will be fewer greenhouse gasses. Therefore, cleaner cars will be produced.

Members of the jury, surely you will not find defendant Carlos guilty of burglary. Carlos is a visitor from our neighbor to the south, where he has eight young brothers and sisters. Those poor kids and their impoverished mother live a desperate hand-to-mouth existence. Carlos was hoping only to send a few more dollars home to ease their suffering. In the name of humanity, you must vote to acquit this caring brother.

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.

Irene will certainly live to a ripe old age because a palm reader told her that earlier today.

Religious fanatics are basically crazy because they are deluded. Of course they are deluded because they believe nonsense. And they believe nonsense because they are hopelessly narrow minded. Naturally they are hopelessly narrow minded because they are basically crazy.

Even though Jackie is not very bright, she always gets good grades. Therefore, she couldn't possibly have cheated on the last test.

Either Honda or Nissan makes the Altima. But it isn't Honda. Therefore Nissan makes the Altima.

It's not possible that Jessica prepared this delicious meal all by herself. Jessica is too stupid to read a cookbook, she can't measure anything, she has absolutely no sense of taste, and she doesn't even know how to boil water.

Maria's argument for abolishing the Immigration Service can't be trusted. After all, Maria is an undocumented immigrant, and if the Immigration Service is abolished, she will never be caught and deported.

Pauline's argument for stricter drug laws is as worn out as she is. Her brain has practically calcified, she can hardly remember anything, and she confuses the letter carrier with the gardener. I'm afraid we'll just have to pass over her argument.

Stealing is wrong. Therefore, it would be wrong for me to steal the spark plug wires from that getaway car while the driver is busy robbing the First National Bank.

Paul said that his new dog eats virtually anything and is very fond of children. Therefore, you shouldn't let your little boy get anywhere near that dog.

Either you buy me a new Rolex watch, or I'll be late for all my meetings. I'm sure you don't want me to be late, so you'll buy me the Rolex. How about that one with diamonds on the face?

Mark is a rotten salesman. But every salesman is a person. Therefore, Mark is a rotten person.

Which of the following fallacies always involves two arguers?

Some individuals with political aspirations are incompetent bozos. Therefore, some incompetent bozos are individuals with political aspirations.

The last three times I invested money in the stock market, stock prices declined. Therefore, to prevent further declines, I must stop investing any more money.

Whatever you do, never ask Haley Burns for a date. A few months after Victor started dating Haley he began suffering from erectile dysfunction.

Betty's argument for changing the voting age is ridiculous. Betty dropped out of school after the seventh grade, and the most responsible job she has ever held is working as a clerk in a grocery store.