Exam 3: Informal Fallacies

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

While driving on the freeway a big truck cut me off when it changed lanes. A few days earlier another truck tailgated me, and yet another refused to dim its lights. The conclusion is obvious that truckers these days are as rude as they are reckless.

Republicans are clearly better able to run the country because they're more experienced in handling money.

Ending one's own life is morally permissible because people are rightfully in charge of their own lives. And this is so because people have the freedom to determine their own destiny. And this follows from the fact that people have the moral right to decide whether they live or die. And this is true because ending one's own life is morally permissible.

Ginger, I saw you outside the opera house the other night. Tell me, why don't you enjoy ordinary musical events, like normal people do?

Performance enhancing drugs are banned from professional sports. But Viagra is a performance enhancing drug. Therefore, Viagra is banned from professional sports.

If a piece of jewelry is ugly, then it won't sell. Therefore, if a piece of jewelry sells, then it isn't ugly.

Either Jane Austen was English or she was American. Since Jane Austen was not American, it follows that she was English.

Some tunes are oldies and some oldies are classics. Therefore, some tunes are classics.

After returning from a month-long vacation, Robert turned the key in his usually reliable Camry, but nothing happened. The car must have a dead battery.

Every player on the varsity chess team is very good. Therefore, the team is very good.

Carol has a Rottweiler dog, and it attacked and seriously injured one of her neighbors. David has a Rottweiler and it chewed up his wife. The conclusion is obvious that Rottweilers are just plain vicious.

Steel wool is excellent for cleaning dirty pots and pans. Therefore, it would be a good idea to use steel wool to clean your dirty car.

There is a lot of talk these days about the need for greater fuel economy in SUV's. But today's SUV's are really beautiful. The Cadillac Escalade has clean lines, supple leather, and polished hardwood. The Lincoln Navigator features beautiful paint and the feel of strength and security. And the Mercury Mariner has wonderful styling and a great sound system. Who could ask for anything more?

It's appropriate for parents to invade their children's privacy to protect them from danger. But the role of government is similar to that of parents. Therefore, it's appropriate for the government to invade the privacy of citizens to protect the country.

Senator Smith, I know you will support the oil drilling bill before the committee, because if you don't, I'll make a huge contribution to your opponent in the next election.

The speed limit in this neighborhood is 25 miles per hour. Therefore, it was illegal for that ambulance to drive through here at 50 miles per hour.

This .75 liter bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey is 40% alcohol. Therefore, every one-ounce shot of it is 40% alcohol.

Hugo lost an arm in a car accident last year. But surely he will get it back. Most things that are lost turn up sooner or later.

Paul Derrick, president of Big Tex Oil Co., says that we should open up all coastal waters of the U.S. to oil drilling. He promises that not a speck of pollution will result. Given Derrick's expertise in these matters, it follows that we should open up these waters immediately.