Exam 11: Reasoning Critically

Whereas the fallacy of hasty generalization deals with errors in the process of generalizing, the fallacy of ___________focuses on difficulties in the process of interpreting.

A form of inductive reasoning in which a general statement is made about an entire group based on observing some members of the group is called__________ .

What type of causal fallacy exists when someone presents a causal relationship for which no real evidence exists?

Imagine you are out shopping for sneakers with your eight-year-old child.He says to you, "We have to buy Nike sneakers because that's what Michael Jordan wears." What form of "fallacy of relevance" would this be?

What do we call a form of inductive reasoning in which it is claimed that an event (or events) is the result of the occurrences of another event (or events)?

There is an argument form in which one reasons from premises that are known or assumed to be true to a conclusion that is supported by the premises but does not necessarily follow from them.What do we call this argument form?

The fallacy of questionable cause occurs when someone presents a causal relationship for which no real evidence exists.How can you apply this type of fallacy to the preemptive attack on Iraq by the United States of America?

According to the author, the scientific method works on the assumption that the world is constructed in a complex web of causal relationships that can be discovered through systematic.Describe the causal relationships surrounding euthanasia.Your answer must include the legal, moral and emotional perspectives.

In the fallacy of special pleading, a person argues that a practice or a way of thinking is "better" or"right" because it has 'always been done that way."

What do we call a possible explanation that is introduced to account for a set of facts and that can be used as a basis for further investigation?

Appeal to personal attack has been one of the most frequently used fallacies throughout the ages.Its effectiveness results from ignoring the issues of the argument and focusing instead on the personal qualities of the person making the argument.Why do you believe that appeals to personal attacks work so well?

According to ethical theorists, autonomy is one of the first virtues.People should be free to make their own decisions about things that pertain to them.Therefore, voluntary euthanasia is morally correct.This is an example of what type of generalization?

What do we call unsound arguments that are often persuasive and appearing to be logical because they usually appeal to our emotions and prejudices, and because they often support conclusions that we want to believe are accurate?

What do we call a general statement about an entire group made on the basis of observing some members of the group?

There are three key criteria for evaluating inductive arguments: Is the sample known? Is the sample sufficient? Is the sample representative?

Often I have heard female students saying something like, "My boyfriend has never shown any real concern for my feelings; therefore, all men are selfish, insensitive, and emotionally superficial!" What form of generalization would this be?

One guideline for testing a _____________is that it should allow you to make various predictions to test its accuracy.

The fallacious argument of_______gets its effectivenessfrom ignoring the issues of the argument and focusing instead on the personal qualities of the person making the argument.

Although generalizing and interpreting are useful in forming concepts, they also can give rise to fallacious ways of thinking, which include: hasty generalization, faulty conclusions, and improper interpretations.

In an________argument, the supporting reasons are designed to make us feel sorry for the person involved and agree with the conclusion out of sympathy.