Question 1

You have heard Congressman Doyle's arguments in favor of reduced military expenditures. But surely you won't take them seriously. Doyle, as you know, is an admitted alcoholic, and rumor has it that he abuses his wife and children.

Accepted Answer

A)  Argument against the person, abusive. 
B)  Argument against the person, circumstantial. 
C)  Straw man. 
D)  Missing the point. 
E)  No fallacy.

Question 2

In a random sample of 200 students from Northern State University, 150 said that they own a smartphone. Therefore, probably at least 50% of the students at Northern State own a smartphone.

Accepted Answer

A)  False cause. 
B)  Missing the point. 
C)  Hasty generalization. 
D)  No fallacy. 
E)  Composition.

Question 3

Which fallacy involves a chain reaction of causes?

Accepted Answer

A)  Begging the question. 
B)  Slippery slope. 
C)  Weak analogy. 
D)  Equivocation. 
E)  False dichotomy.

Question 4

The Second Amendment to the Constitution guarantees everyone the right to bear arms. Therefore it should be legal for those undercover Al Qaeda members to buy a carload of shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles.

Accepted Answer

A)  Accident. 
B)  Appeal to unqualified authority. 
C)  No fallacy. 
D)  You, too (tu quoque). 
E)  Appeal to force.

Question 5

You should never buy your child a goldfish, because next it will be a hamster and then a rabbit. After that the kid will scream for a cat, and then a dog. Next it will be a horse, then a water buffalo, and finally an elephant. The cost of pet food will drive you to the poor house.

Accepted Answer

A)  No fallacy. 
B)  Slippery slope. 
C)  Begging the question. 
D)  False cause. 
E)  Appeal to force.

Question 6

Most elderly people who are hospitalized with cancer eventually die from the disease. Thus, if an elderly person wants to recover from cancer he or she must, at all costs, refuse hospitalization.

Accepted Answer

A)  Appeal to ignorance. 
B)  Appeal to the people. 
C)  Accident. 
D)  False cause. 
E)  Hasty generalization.

Question 7

Adrian argues that it should be illegal for private individuals to carry concealed weapons. Obviously Adrian wants to abolish gun ownership altogether. Just go out and confiscate all the guns. That's what Adrian wants. Well, the Second Amendment gives us the right to bear arms, so Adrian's argument is ridiculous.

Accepted Answer

A)  Red herring. 
B)  Appeal to pity. 
C)  Straw man. 
D)  No fallacy. 
E)  Argument against the person, abusive.

Question 8

We know for certain that no armadillos are aardvarks. It is therefore equally certain that no aardvarks are armadillos.

Accepted Answer

A)  Begging the question. 
B)  Weak analogy. 
C)  No fallacy. 
D)  Hasty generalization. 
E)  Equivocation.

Question 9

Bowser, a German shepherd, had a terrible flea problem. But after one application of FleasOff, Bowser had no fleas for four months. Tango is also a German shepherd with a terrible flea problem. Therefore, FleasOff should also be useful in eliminating Tango's fleas.

Accepted Answer

A)  False cause. 
B)  No fallacy. 
C)  Weak analogy. 
D)  Accident. 
E)  Hasty generalization.

Question 10

Every thread in this shirt is pure silk. Therefore, this shirt is pure silk.

Accepted Answer

A)  No fallacy. 
B)  Division. 
C)  Accident. 
D)  Composition. 
E)  Weak analogy.

Question 11

The Northern Express railway train is headed north. Therefore, every car on that train is headed north.

Accepted Answer

A)  Composition. 
B)  Hasty generalization. 
C)  No fallacy. 
D)  Missing the point. 
E)  Division.

Question 12

Yes, I know it's been made legal, but this idea of same-sex marriage is an abomination! The Holy Bible says that marriage is between a man and a woman. This sacred rule is engraved in the order of nature by almighty God! Who are these perverts who would undermine the sanctity of holy wedlock? Down with the gays! Away with the femiNazis!

Accepted Answer

A)  Appeal to unqualified authority. 
B)  Suppressed evidence. 
C)  Argument against the person, abusive. 
D)  No fallacy. 
E)  Appeal to the people.

Question 13

Which fallacy occurs when a general rule is applied to a specific case that the rule was not intended to cover?

Accepted Answer

A)  Hasty generalization. 
B)  Tu quoque (you, too). 
C)  Composition. 
D)  Accident. 
E)  Division.

Question 14

The fallacy in which the arguer attempts to lead the reader or listener off the track is:

Accepted Answer

A)  False cause. 
B)  Division. 
C)  Red herring. 
D)  Argument against the person. 
E)  Amphiboly.

Question 15

None of Mr. Konrad's friends has ever seen him smoke a cigarette, cigar, or pipe. Therefore, probably Mr. Konrad is a nonsmoker.

Accepted Answer

A)  Appeal to ignorance. 
B)  Complex question. 
C)  No fallacy. 
D)  Appeal to unqualified authority. 
E)  Straw man.

Question 16

Libertarians are insensitive to the plight of the poor. We know this is so because they want to abolish the minimum wage. And we know they want to do this because they want to eliminate all restrictions on hiring the poor. And of course this is true because Libertarians are insensitive to the plight of the poor.

Accepted Answer

A)  No fallacy. 
B)  Composition. 
C)  Begging the question. 
D)  Appeal to pity. 
E)  Slippery slope.

Question 17

Either you pay my tuition to Stanford or I'll be doomed to a life of mediocrity. I'm sure you don't want that.

Accepted Answer

A)  Appeal to the people. 
B)  Appeal to ignorance. 
C)  No fallacy. 
D)  Appeal to unqualified authority. 
E)  False dichotomy.

Question 18

Congressman Henderson is a tall man with brown hair and blue eyes, and he supports the upcoming bill on handguns. Congressman Wagner is also a tall man with brown hair and blue eyes. Thus, he probably supports the handgun bill, too.

Accepted Answer

A)  Weak analogy. 
B)  False cause. 
C)  Begging the question. 
D)  No fallacy. 
E)  Missing the point.

Question 19

The death penalty is clearly immoral. This is so because life is intrinsically valuable. And this follows from the fact that human beings are ends in themselves. And we know this is true because human beings have a right not to be killed-which follows from the fact that the state has no right to take human life. And why is this true? Because the death penalty is clearly immoral.

Accepted Answer

A)  False cause. 
B)  Slippery slope. 
C)  Begging the question. 
D)  No fallacy. 
E)  Equivocation.

Question 20

Ferguson's argument in favor of deregulating the banking system isn't worth a hoot. Consider this: Ferguson is a banker himself, and if banks are deregulated, he will earn millions.

Accepted Answer

A)  Red herring. 
B)  No fallacy. 
C)  Straw man. 
D)  Tu quoque (you, too). 
E)  Argument against the person, circumstantial.

Exam 3: Informal Fallacies