Exam 9: Fallacies in Reasoning, Part II

"Smoking is now against the law at some beaches. Next thing you know, there will be a ban on smoking in outdoor venues, like stadiums, parades, and swap meets. What's next? Is the government going to ban Hostess Twinkies because so many Americans are obese? Is the government going to ban walking because someone might trip, or pencils because someone might get poked in the eye?" The most likely fallacy in this argument is:

Timmy calls Tommy a liar. Tommy responds, "It takes one to know one." Tommy is guilty of which fallacy?

"The detainees at Guantanamo who were water-boarded must have been hardcore terrorists. Otherwise, there would have been no need for the government to torture them." The most likely fallacy here is:

An arguer asks an audience to accept her claim because she has found no evidence or proof contradicting her claim. This fallacy is known as:

In the dialogue below, what is the most likely fallacy that Naomi has committed? Naomi: "I called the psychic hotline, and Madame Zeno told me my Lotto picks were going to win." Hansel: "If she already knows the winning numbers in advance, then why hasn't she won the lottery herself?" Naomi: "Psychics can only read people's minds. The Lotto machine doesn't have a mind to read." Hansel: "Then how can she know you'll win, just because she read your mind? You don't know what numbers the Lotto machine will pick." Naomi: "Yes I do. Madame Zeno told me so."

Which of the following best exemplifies a miracle counterfactual?

Tondalayo, an Aztec virgin, is about to be sacrificed to the gods. She asks her pal, Quexlax, if it's really necessary that her still beating heart be ripped out. Quexlax replies, "Oh yes! There are three very good reasons: First, we must keep the volcano god happy-since we began sacrificing virgins, there hasn't been a single eruption. Second, if we abandon this ritual, then we'll begin to abandon other important rituals, like stonings, torture, and beheadings. Before long, we won't have any rituals at all.Third, the Chief says we must, so, of course, we must." What is the one fallacy below that Quexlax hasn't committed?

According to a CNN poll, 67% of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts reported that they pray at least once a day. So, we can see that our nation's youth is more religious than ever." The most likely problem is:

Monsignor Monad is an inquisitor in the Dark Ages, whose job is to torture suspected witches and warlocks until they confess. He tells one of the prisoners in the dungeon, "You have nothing to fear. If you are a witch or warlock, you can simply cast a spell on this red-hot poker so it won't burn you. If you are a Christian, and you truly believe, God will spare you from pain." The most likely fallacy committed here is:

"In 2015, 93 children (age 18 or younger) drowned in bathtubs. That's almost as many children as were killed accidentally by guns in 2015, which was 102. So I suppose gun control advocates will want background checks on bathtub owners next." The most likely fallacy here is:

Frankie tells Johnny, "I can't believe you want to legalize marijuana. Drug overdoses kill thousands of people each year." Which fallacy has Frankie committed?