Logic and Language Final Exam

Ms. Fitch argues in favor of equal pay for equal work. She says it doesn’t make sense to pay a person more for doing the same job just because he is male or Caucasian. But since Ms. Fitch is a woman, it’s to her personal advantage to favor equal pay for equal work. After all, she would get an immediate raise if her boss accepted her argument. Therefore, her argument is worthless.

Ad Hominem

Evolutionists believe that a dog can give birth to a cat. How ridiculous.

Straw Man

Lately there has been a lot of negative criticism of our policy on dental benefits. Let me tell you something, people. If you want to keep working here, you need to know that our policy is fair and reasonable. I won’t have anybody working here who doesn’t know this.

Appeal to Fear/Force

If you smoke, you increase your risk of getting lung cancer. It’s not in your best interest to do something that increases your risk of getting lung cancer. So, it’s not in your interest to smoke.

No Fallacy

Ms. Riley, are you saying that President Bush made a moral error when he decided to go to war with Iraq? I can’t believe my ears. That’s not how Americans feel. Not true Americans, anyway.

Appeal to Populace/Tendentious Stipulation

You have heard that my client was seen in the vicinity of the crime scene on the day of the murder. But look at his narrow shoulders and frightened eyes. This is a man- a boy really- more sinned against than sinning.

Appeal to Pity

After centuries of trying, no one has been able to prove that reincarnation occurs. So, at this point, I think we can safely conclude that reincarnation does not occur.

Argument from Ignorance

Your friend Margie says that Tasters Choice coffee tastes better than Folgers. Apparently she is ignoring the fact that Tasters Choice is made by Nestle, and Nestle is the company that manufactured that terrible baby formula for third world countries. Thousands of babies died when the dry milk formula was mixed with contaminated water. Obviously your friend was mistaken.

Red Herring

Professor Jackson, this paper deserves at least a ‘B’. I stayed up all night working on it. And if I don’t get a ‘B,’ I’ll be placed on academic probation.

Appeal to Pity

Nowadays, everybody that’s anybody believes in reincarnation. So, you should, too.

Appeal to Populace

In 1742, Christian Goldbach conjectured that every even number greater than 2 is the sum of two primes. Mathematicians have been trying to prove Goldbach’s conjecture ever since, but no one has succeeded in doing so. After two and a half centuries, I think we can safely conclude that Goldbach was wrong.

Argument from Ignorance

The soccer team is excellent. Hence, each member of the team is excellent.

Division

One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas I’ll never know.

Amphiboly

Elephants eat more than humans. So, elephants taken as group eat more than humans taken as a group.

Composition

This machine is small enough to fit in the trunk of the car. So, each of its parts is small enough to fit in the trunk of the car.

No Fallacy

Christians teach the doctrine of the Triune God, namely, that “One God plus one God plus one God equals one God.” But this doctrine is false, for it is obviously a mathematical impossibility, and only fools believe mathematical impossibilities.

Straw Man

America is a free country, right? You bet it is. That being so, how can you doubt we are free to choose between good and evil?

Equivocation

According to the letter we received, your previous employer recommends you with no qualifications. But I’m afraid we here at Grove Company hire only people that do have qualifications. So, there’s really no point in our talking further.

Amphiboly

Everyone must be allowed to speak his or her mind because otherwise freedom of speech would be violated.

Circular Reasoning

Without the discoveries of the great physicist Albert Einstein, the atomic bomb could not have been invented. And Einstein said that it was immoral for America to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Therefore, it was immoral for America to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

Appeal to Inappropriate Authority

I do not know whether God’s existence can be proven, but I do know that each person either must be a theist or atheist. And by your own admission, you’re no theist. Therefore, you must be an atheist.

False Dichotomy

Professor Bloggs, the well-known astronomer, has done extensive research on distant galaxies. He points out that human bodies are composed of atoms that were once part of distant stars. According to Bloggs, this gives human life a great sense of drama and significance equal to that inherent in the world’s great mythologies and theologies. Thus, Bloggs corrects the common error of supposing that materialism reduces the drama or significance of human life.

Appeal to Inappropriate Authority

Since sex education has become common, we’ve had a marked increase in promiscuity. So, sex education causes promiscuity.

False Cause

Never buy a lottery ticket. People who buy lottery tickets soon find they want to gamble on horses. Next, they develop a strong urge to go to Las Vegas and bet their life savings in the casinos. The addiction to gambling gradually ruins their family life. Eventually, they die, homeless and lonely.

Slippery Slope

Every American is either a Republican or Democrat. Dr. Porter is an American, but she is not a Republican. So, she must be a Democrat.

False Dichotomy

Why was Warren Harding the best American President of the first half of the 20th century?

Complex Question

In a recent speech, the president of General Motors asserted that our country has drifted dangerously away from its religious and ethical moorings. In light of this pronouncement, the cheery optimism of the liberals is no longer reasonable.

Appeal to Inappropriate Authority

Piet Mondrian’s famous painting, Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow, is made up of a number of distinct rectangles, each of which is brightly colored and beautiful. Hence, the painting itself is beautiful.

Composition

The leader of this new religious group preaches the following message: “We shall wear no clothes to distinguish ourselves from our Christian brethren.” Therefore, this religious group should be opposed. For it advocates nudity.

Amphiboly

Only man is rational. But no woman is a man. Hence, no woman is rational.

Equivocation