Exam 7: Induction Fallacies

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. "My kindergarten class seemed unusually antsy today.I wonder if they were all on a sugar high."

It is widely believed that chocolate causes acne,since people susceptible to acne frequently assert that eating chocolate is invariably followed by an outbreak of the skin condition.However,Donald G.Bruns,in a letter to Science News,wondered whether those who have the belief that chocolate causes acne might not have things backwards.Some studies indicate that hormonal changes associated with stress may cause acne,he notes.Other studies indicate that people fond of chocolate may tend to eat more chocolate when under stress.Given these studies,Bruns comments,it may be easy to confuse which,the chocolate or the acne,is the cause-and which is the effect. In a brief essay,explain what pattern of reasoning seems to underlie the belief that chocolate causes acne (probably the paired unusual events principle-the relevant difference between this situation,in which there was an outbreak of acne,and situations in which there was none is that in this situation the person ate chocolate),and then answer this question: Bruns complains that those who believe that chocolate causes acne may be guilty of the fallacy of reversed causation.Given the studies he cites,has Bruns correctly identified the mistake? No.The mistake is ignoring an underlying third cause.

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:"They're wrong again,the doctors who say that the sun causes cancer.The four substances for all life are water,food,air,and sun.Everybody knows the sun opens the pores of your skin to release poisons;it cannot cause cancer.Cancer is caused by the toxins man puts in the air,not by sunlight." -Cascade News

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. "This antique dealer should know what's wrong with this old car of ours."

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. "The first time I played that golf course,I shot an 82.It must have affected my mental state,because I didn't score that well again for almost a year."

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. This river has been changing its course every couple of years for the past few thousand years.Now they've decided that the banks need to be stabilized.Who does the Army Corps of Engineers think it is to come in here and decide they know something Mother Nature doesn't?

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. "Will women like our new menu? Let's ask one of the female servers.As a woman she will know."

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. "The lights came back on immediately after that huge clap of thunder-how on earth did the thunder make that happen?"

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. George,I speak for the rest of the neighbors on our street.Frankly,your front yard is a mess,and we'd appreciate it if you would do something about it.We put the time and money into making our places look nice,but the effort is largely ruined by one awful looking place right here in the middle of the block.We hope you'll do something about it.

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. We're gonna have trouble with that new paper boy,Honey.He's been late twice already.

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. Obviously it was right for the United States to attack Iraq in 1991.Polls at the time showed that over 90 percent of Americans thought the war was justified.

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. From a letter to the editor:"The news media can never be trusted.Shortly before the Geneva summit,the Washington Post decided that a news scoop concerning a confidential letter from the secretary of defense to the president was more important news than a coordinated posture by our negotiating team."

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. Goldman may have won the Supervisor of the Year award,but that just means they didn't look very hard for a winner.I know a couple of people who work in Goldman's division and they say that he's a real pain to work for.I'd sooner trust my friends than some awards committee.

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. "Seals are dying at an unprecedented rate at the very same time ocean temperatures are rising.They are being killed by global warming."

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. Hey,let's start shopping at Musgrave's.It's a whole lot cheaper.I stopped in there yesterday on the way home and found strawberries there for 79¢ a basket and ground beef for $1.29 a pound.And they weren't even on sale!

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. Overheard during a recent Olympics:"Oh,I don't know.All athletes use some type of steroids in training and competition."

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. "No,we shouldn't start Daylight Savings Time in February.No state does that."

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. "Don't sweat.They won't stop you for speeding.The cops have yet to stop me for texting."

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. "My trip to Ixtapa was terrific.I'm sure you'll have a great time if you go to Acapulco."

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. "I got sick shortly after my trip-all because of the recycled air in the airplane."