Exam 6: Performance Evaluation: Variance Analysis

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. I wouldn't take a course from anyone in the Poly Sci department, if I were you. They are all anti-U.S., ultraliberal types, at least that's what I hear.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. In a letter to the editor describing those against staying in Iraq: "Liberals would love to think the United States could make Iraq peaceful with the use of party favors and snack packs...."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. News report: The city council's internal affairs committee voted to allow public access to the city's five creeks. But Councilwoman Shelly Harvard voiced strong opposition to the public access requirement. "Why do we want to allow access to the creek?" she asked. "Are we going to turn this into a town where anyone can walk across a person's lawn?"

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Preferential treatment in hiring is something we must support; after all, can you think of a reason why we shouldn't?

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. [The state of Nevada has a law that allows water that is going unused in one part of the state to be claimed by parties from another part of the state. Because of growth in Las Vegas, the law has caused serious disputes over water.] "Look. We in Las Vegas aren't trying to take water from anybody else's bathtub or kitchen faucet. The water we're talking about out in rural Nevada will either come to us and be put to good use, or it'll simply go to waste."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Revenge of the Nerds was really a funny movie. I know because I was a nerd myself, and that's really the way it was!

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. "To the people who brought you 'The Great American Smokeout,' we make The Great American Challenge. We challenge the American Cancer Society to clean up the air in its 'smoke free' offices. We are willing to bet there isn't much cigarette smoking at American Cancer Society offices. But, according to a recent study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), cigarette smoke also wasn't the problem in 98 percent of 203 buildings reported to have indoor air problems.... Indoor air inspections resulting from worker complaints typically find viruses, fungal spores, bacteria, gases, closed fresh air ducts, and ventilation systems in need of maintenance." -Full-page ad in USA Today, sponsored by the Tobacco Institute

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "The secretary insists our missiles can shoot down theirs, but what else could he say? He's got to put people at ease."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. City supervisor: Schools need support, yes, but, unfortunately, to balance the city budget we need to reduce spending by around $13 million. Some of that reduction will have to come from the schools. City resident: I don't see why. You supervisors should visit schools and talk to teachers. Teachers already work sixty to seventy hours a week. When other people are home relaxing in front of their TV set, Mr. and Mrs. Teacher are grading tests, attending meetings, or rearranging their classroom. The next time you are out fishing or playing golf, think of teachers at home preparing for next week's classes. They work very hard for very little money and rarely get any recognition for the job they've done.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Well! Finally, after all these years, the telephone company makes an error on my bill in my favor! And I'm surely not going to point it out to them. They've been gouging me since telephones first came into existence.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. From a letter to the editor: "The secretary of defense claims we cannot cut defense spending by so much as a jot. Right. What the generals want, the generals get. What the secretary is, is just another lawyer. It's not what's right that matters, it's what you can get. No wonder his relations with Congress are so poor."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. When several people in Harvey's department get new computers, he is annoyed because he is not among them. "I'll tell you what," Harvey says to his wife, "if they want to rip me off by not getting a new computer for me, I'll just rip them off for extra office supplies. They've got a lot of stuff at work we could use around here, and they'll have no way of knowing that it's gone. Turnabout's fair play."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Did Amundsen beat Scott to the South Pole? Hardly, sir! 'Twould be disastrous indeed for the Empire if we allowed ourselves to believe Norwegians with dogs could ever best red-blooded English males!

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. In one of his columns, Mike Royko had a word or two to write about Sylvester Stallone. According to Royko, after completing the movie Rambo: First Blood Part II, Stallone explained that it was an attempt to secure some credit for Vietnam veterans. Royko quoted Stallone as saying, "The people who pushed the wrong button all took a powder. The vets got the raw deal and were left holding the bag. What Rambo is saying is that if they could fight again, it would be different." Royko went on to observe that during the Vietnam War, when Stallone could have been a "real-life Rambo," he spent his time first at American College of Switzerland "teaching rich girls how to touch their toes" and then as a drama major at the University of Miami "improving his tan."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Yeah, sure the Los Angeles district attorney believes that O. J. Simpson got a fair trial. But before you sign on to something like that, you might notice that O. J. is a black man and that the Los Angeles district attorney is a white man. That tells you all you need to know about his opinion of fair trials.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. When Lebanon and Syria signed a treaty on May 22, 1991, aimed at ending sixteen years of Lebanese civil war, Israel stated that the treaty was tantamount to annexation of Lebanon. Syrian President Hafez Assad responded, "It seems that the Israelis have found it beneficial to use the treaty to cover up their rejection of peace [i.e., to cover up Israeli opposition to U.N. Security Council resolutions calling for Israel to give up occupied Arab lands]. They want to create a cause to talk about it, thinking they would thus divert the world's attention from the ongoing efforts for peace in the region."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. "Studying economics and finance in college does not make you rich. I don't see any point studying it at all."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "I will reduce your mortgage payments by 25 percent. Take the offer while you can. It is a very good deal. If you don't, you can expect to hear from my friend, the sheriff."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. "You're the best wife in the world. Could you cook something special tonight?"

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or, where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text, by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. She: We'd do well to get a Zenith. Their salesman told me they have the best repair record of any brand on the market. He: Well, forget that. He sells Zeniths, for crying out loud; of course he'd tell you they have the best record.