Question: In a random sample of 200 students from Northern State University, 150 said that they own an iPod. Therefore, probably at least 50% of the students at Northern State own an iPod.
Answer Choices:
a. False cause.
b. Missing the point.
c. Hasty generalization.
d. No fallacy.
e. Composition.
Answer: d. No fallacy.
Question: This cup of coffee contains caffeine. Therefore, every spoonful of it contains caffeine.
Answer Choices:
a. Division.
b. False cause.
c. No fallacy.
d. Suppressed evidence.
e. Composition.
Answer: a. Division.
Question: Stem cell research is immoral because anything that involves killing innocent human beings is immoral.
Answer Choices:
a. Appeal to ignorance.
b. Begging the question.
c. Red herring.
d. Appeal to the people.
e. No fallacy.
Answer: b. Begging the question.
Question: If you pay him $200 up front, Freddie promises to paint your garage. But you’d be crazy to pay him anything up front because Freddie lies all the time, and every dime he gets his hands on he uses to feed his methamphetamine habit.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy.
b. Accident.
c. Argument against the person, abusive.
d. False cause.
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
Answer: a. No fallacy.
Question: Carol’s arguments against abortion aren’t worth a hoot. I have it on good evidence that Carol got an abortion herself after a high school sweetheart got her pregnant.
Answer Choices:
a. Argument against the person, abusive.
b. No fallacy.
c. Begging the question.
d. Appeal to pity.
e. Red herring.
Answer: a. Argument against the person, abusive.
Question: Most of the residents of the City Heights neighborhood are illiterate. Therefore, it would be a good idea to close the City Heights library. After all, nobody uses it.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy.
b. False cause.
c. Division.
d. Missing the point.
e. Appeal to force.
Answer: d. Missing the point.
Question: Nobody has ever proved there is intelligent life outside our solar system. Therefore, these efforts to communicate with extraterrestrials are ridiculous.
Answer Choices:
a. Appeal to unqualified authority.
b. Suppressed evidence.
c. Appeal to ignorance.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. No fallacy.
Answer: c. Appeal to ignorance.
Question: Either you vote for Senator Rogers or you don’t care about the environment. The choice is yours.
Answer Choices:
a. Complex question.
b. Begging the question.
c. No fallacy.
d. Appeal to force.
e. False dichotomy.
Answer: e. False dichotomy.
Question: The Constitution guarantees freedom of speech for everyone. Therefore, children have a right to sass their parents.
Answer Choices:
a. Accident.
b. You, too (tu quoque).
c. Appeal to force.
d. Missing the point.
e. No fallacy.
Answer: a. Accident.
Question: Nobody has ever seen Rosie run, jog, lift weights, ride a bicycle, or engage in any other form of exercise. Probably Rosie doesn’t get much exercise.
Answer Choices:
a. False cause.
b. No fallacy.
c. Appeal to ignorance.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. Suppressed evidence.
Answer: b. No fallacy.
Question: Carol has a rottweiler dog, and it attacked and seriously injured one of his neighbors. David has a rottweiler and it chewed up his wife. The conclusion is obvious that rottweilers are just plain vicious.
Answer Choices:
a. Argument against the person, abusive.
b. No fallacy.
c. Red herring.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. Composition.
Answer: d. Hasty generalization.
Question: In his testimony to the grand jury, Steve Porter said that the CEO of the Syntex Corporation conspired with the CFO to defraud investors. Therefore, since Porter is in a position to know and has no reason to lie, we can conclude that these officers did indeed engage in such a conspiracy.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy.
b. Amphiboly.
c. Appeal to unqualified authority.
d. False cause.
e. Begging the question.
Answer: a. No fallacy.
Question: Attorney Jane Welch has over 20 suits. Therefore, her wardrobe must be rather substantial.
Answer Choices:
a. Division.
b. Begging the question.
c. Equivocation.
d. No fallacy.
e. Amphiboly.
Answer: c. Equivocation.
Question: The vast majority of Americans believe in God. Therefore, you should believe, too.
Answer Choices:
a. Tu quoque (you, too).
b. No fallacy.
c. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
d. Appeal to the people.
e. False dichotomy.
Answer: d. Appeal to the people.
Question: Whoever is vain is hard of heart because if they weren’t hard of heart they wouldn’t be vain.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy.
b. False cause.
c. Appeal to unqualified authority.
d. Missing the point.
e. Begging the question.
Answer: e. Begging the question.
Question: 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.
Answer Choices:
a. False cause.
b. No fallacy.
c. Weak analogy.
d. Accident.
e. Hasty generalization.
Answer: b. No fallacy.
Question: Old Mrs. Fogarty has won at Bingo on the last six weekends, which is quite remarkable. Therefore, she is almost certain to lose next weekend.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy.
b. Missing the point.
c. False cause.
d. Weak analogy.
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
Answer: c. False cause.