Philosophy Fallacy Exam 3 Study

AHHHH GOTTA PASSS

Either we require forced sterilization of 3rd World people or the world population will explode and all of us will die. We certainly don’t want to die, so we must require forced sterilization.

False dichotomy

Every sentence in this paragraph is well written. Therefore, the paragraph is well written.

Fallacy of Composition

An athlete is a human being. Therefore, a good athlete is a good human being.

Equivocation

James said that he saw a picture of a beautiful girl stashed in Stephen’s locker. We can only conclude that Stephen has broken the rules, because girls are not allows in the locker room.

Amphiboly

Why is it so difficult for you to reach a decision?

Complex Question

Water will quench one’s thirst. Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen. Therefore, hydrogen will quench one’s thirst, and so will oxygen.

Division

People who lack humility have no sense of beauty, because everyone who has a sense of beauty also has a sense of humility.

Begging the question

Butane is combustible. Therefore, it burns.

Begging the question

Twenty years ago, Kung Fong, the great sumo wrestler, could have yanked up one of the fir trees in the new municipal arboretum with a single pull. Therefore, since Mr. Fong is as strong today as he was then, he could just as easily pull up on of those trees today.

Suppressed Evidence

If Thomas gives Marie a ring, then Thomas and Marie will be engaged. Thomas did give Marie a ring. In fact, he phoned her just the other night. Therefore, Thomas and Marie are engaged.

Equivocation

Alex, I heard your testimony in court earlier today. Tell me, why did you lie on the witness stand?

Complex Question

Johnson is employed by the GSA, and everyone knows that the GSA is the most inefficient branch of the government. Therefore, Johnson must be an inefficient worker.

Fallacy of Division

All men are mortal. Therefore, someday man will disappear from the earth.

Fallacy of Composition.

Each and every cell in this carrot is 90 percent water. Therefore, the entire carrot is 90 percent water.

Fallacy of Composiiton

George said that he was interviewing for a job drilling oil wells in the supervisor’s office. We can only conclude that the supervisor must have an awfully dirt office.

Amphiboly

During the fifty years that Mr. Jones works, he contributed $90,000 to Social Security. Now that he is retired, he stands to collect $200,000 from the system. Obviously he will collect a must greater monetary value than he contributed.

Suppressed Evidence

Either you major in business administration, or you have no chance at a successful career. You told me that you aren’t majoring in business administration. It’s sad that you haven’t chosen a path that will lead to success.

False Dichotomy

Either James Franco or Miley Cyrus is a popular singer. James Franco is not a popular singer. Therefore, Miley Cyrus is a popular singer.

False Dichotomy

Switzerland is 48% Protestant. Heidi Gilsing is a Swiss. Therefore, Heidi Gilsing is 48% Protestant.

Fallacy of Division

Picasso is the greatest artist of the twentieth century. We know that this is so because art critics have described him in these terms. These art critics are correct in their assessment because they have a more keenly developed sense of appreciation than the average person. This is true because it takes a more keenly developed sense of appreciation to realize that Picasso is the greatest artist of the twentieth century.

Begging the Question

An atomic bomb causes more damage than a conventional bomb. Therefore, during WWII more damage was caused by atomic bombs than by conventional bombs.

Fallacy of Composition

Sylvia, I saw you shopping for wine the other day. Incidentally, are you still drinking excessively?

Complex Question

The author warns about numerous computational errors in his accounting text. Therefore, he must have written it very carelessly.

Amphiboly

Emeralds are seldom found in this country, so you should be careful not to misplace your emerald ring.

Equivocation

Of course abortion is permissible. After all, a woman has a right to do as she pleases with her own body.

Begging the Question

Erica Evans, who takes orders at the local Taco Bell, argues persuasively in favor of increasing the minimum wage. But this is exactly what you would expect. Erica is paid the minimum wage, and if the minimum wage is increased, then her own salary will go up. Obviously Erica’s arguments are worthless.

Ad Hominem Circumstantial

The school board argues that our schools are in desperate need of repair. But the real reason our students are falling behind is that they spend too much time on their smartphone.

Red Herring

Whoever thrusts a knife into a person should be arrested. But surgeons do precisely this when operating. Therefore, surgeons should be arrested.

Accident

You should read Irving Stone’s novel right away. It’s sold over a million copies, and practically everyone in the Manhattan cocktail circuit is talking about it.

Argumentum Ad Populum (Appeal to the people) (Snobbery)

Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy is not worth the paper it’s printed on. Nietzsche was an immoral reprobate who went completely insane on syphilis before he died.

Ad Hominem (Abusive)

Something is seriously wrong with high school education these days. A recent study showed that 70% of high school students find school boring, and many are tired and stressed. The obvious conclusion is that we should close the schools.

Ignoratio Elenchi (Missing the point)

Of course, you should believe me! I’ve been practicing medicine for 30 years, so I know what I’m talking about.

Appeal to Authority

Either we ban all cars immediately to save the environment, or the world will be completely destroyed in the next decade.

False Dichotomy

Why should we listen to her argument on climate change? She’s just a high school student; what does she know?

Ad Hominem (Against the person)

You say I should stop smoking, but I’ve seen you drink soda every day. You’re not exactly an example of healthy living either.

Ad Hominem (Against the person)

People say it’s the best restaurant in town, so it must be really good.

Argumentum Ad Populum (Appeal to the people)

You shouldn’t vote for that politician; he’s known to be a crook and a liar.

Ad Hominem (Abusive)

Why would you argue against this new law? Think of all the people who will suffer if it doesn’t pass.

Appeal to Emotion

If we allow people to bring pets into restaurants, next they’ll be bringing in wild animals like tigers and lions!

Slippery Slope

Every time I’ve visited that restaurant, the food was terrible, so I’m sure the restaurant is always bad.

Hasty Generalization

You can’t have all the components of a car in your garage, but cars are made of individual parts, so you can have all the parts separately and still have a car!

Fallacy of Composition

Of course, the new policy will work because all the experts agree on it.

Weak Induction Fallacy

Sure, we don’t have concrete evidence of life on other planets, but there’s no proof that aliens don’t exist either. Therefore, they must exist

Appeal to Ignorance

The team’s performance last season was great, so this year’s team will surely be just as good.

Fallacy of Composition

You say that you want to stop animal cruelty, but you’re eating a hamburger right now. How can you possibly care about animals?

Straw man

The fact that we have not been able to prove that ghosts exist means they must not be real.

Appeal to Ignorance

Of course, we should vote for this candidate; he’s a war hero, and we should support our heroes.

Argumentum Ad Misericordiam (Argument from Pity)

I know that some of you oppose that appointment of David Cole as the new sales manager. On further consideration, however, I am confident you will find him well qualified for the job. If Cole is not appointed, it may become necessary to make severe personnel cutbacks in your department

Argument from force

Of course you want to buy a pair of Slinky fashion jeans. Slinky jeans really show off your figure, and all the Hollywood starlets down on the Strip can be seen wearing them these days.

Argumentum Ad Populum (Appeal to the people) (Snobbery)

Pop music artist Marie Osmond says on TV that Nutrisystem is the best way to get rid of belly fat. But this is exactly what you would expect given that Nutrisystem pays her millions of dollars to make these ads. Thus, you shouldn’t take her testimonials too seriously.

Ad Hominem Circumstantial

Mr Rhodes is suffering from amnesia and has no recollection of events from the past two weeks. We can conclude that he did not commit the crime of murdering his wife a week ago, as he has been accused of doing.

Ignoratio Elenchi (Missing the point)

The accumulation of pressure in a society is similar to the buildup of pressure in a boiler. If the pressure increases beyond a critical point, the boiler will explode. Accordingly, if a government represses its people beyond a certain point, the people will rise up in revolt.

Week analogy

A few minutes after Governor Harrison finished his speech on television, a devastating earthquake struck Alaska. For the safety of the people up there, it is imperative that Governor Harrison make no more speeches.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc (False Cause)

No one has ever been able to prove the existence of extrasensory perception. We must therefore conclude that extrasensory perception is a myth.

Appeal to Ignorance

Dr. Carlos Nobre, the world’s leading Amazon climatologist, says that Amazon deforestation is an extremely urgent problem. Given Dr. Nobre’s status in the community of scientists, we must conclude that preserving the Amazon rainforest is indeed an important goal.

This is not a fallacy

Probably no life exists on Venus. Teams of scientists have conducted exhaustive studies of the planet’s surface and atmosphere, and no living organisms have been found.

This is not a fallacy

No one should buy clothing at a department stare without first trying it on. Accordingly, no one should buy food at a grocery store without first tasting it.

Weak analogy

There are more churches in New York City than in any other city in the nation, and more crimes are committed in New York than anywhere else. So, if we are to eliminate crime, we must abolish the churches.

False cause but not Post hoc since that’s when you infer from the fact that one thing followed another and that it caused it.

These equal rights ordinances that supposedly protect gays and transexuals from discrimination are the work of the devil! Once these ordinances are enacted, sexual deviants, lurking in the shadows of public restrooms and locker rooms, will spring upon unsuspecting girls and women and perpetrate all forms of assault and molestation. For the sake of the women in your lives, never say yes to these innocent-sounding pieces of legislation!

Argumentum Ad Populum (Appeal to Emotion)