Question: Nancy, I saw you in Smiley’s Bar last night. Level with me. Are you still getting drunk on a regular basis?
Answer Choices:
a. False cause.
b. Argument against the person, abusive.
c. Begging the question.
d. No fallacy.
e. Complex question.
Answer: e. Complex question.
Question: During the five years that Clarence has worn a Rolex watch, three of his married friends have gotten a divorce. Thus, to prevent any more divorces, it is essential that he stop wearing that watch.
Answer Choices:
a. False cause.
b. No fallacy.
c. Suppressed evidence.
d. Weak analogy.
e. Accident.
Answer: a. False cause.
Question: It’s dangerous to use a hair dryer while taking a bath. But a rechargeable shaver is an electrical device no less than a hair dryer. Therefore, it’s dangerous to use a rechargeable shaver while taking a bath.
Answer Choices:
a. Appeal to force.
b. Begging the question.
c. No fallacy.
d. Accident.
e. False cause.
Answer: c. No fallacy.
Question: Mark is a rotten salesman. But every salesman is a person. Therefore, Mark is a rotten person.
Answer Choices:
a. Argument against the person, abusive.
b. Equivocation.
c. Appeal to ignorance.
d. No fallacy.
e. Amphiboly.
Answer: b. Equivocation.
Question: Tom is a bit of a dunce when it comes to mathematics, and he hasn’t studied a bit for the next test. Therefore, he probably won’t do very well on that test.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy.
b. Slippery slope.
c. False cause.
d. Appeal to unqualified authority.
e. Argument against the person, abusive.
Answer: a. No fallacy.
Question: 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.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy.
b. Composition.
c. Begging the question.
d. Appeal to pity.
e. Slippery slope.
Answer: c. Begging the question.
Question: The idea that fast food is unhealthy is a lot of hooey. Why, 90% of America eats fast food.
Answer Choices:
a. Accident.
b. Division.
c. Begging the question.
d. No fallacy.
e. Appeal to the people.
Answer: e. Appeal to the people.
Question: We know for certain that no armadillos are aardvarks. It is therefore equally certain that no aardvarks are armadillos.
Answer Choices:
a. Begging the question.
b. Weak analogy.
c. No fallacy.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. Equivocation.
Answer: c. No fallacy.
Question: Valerie Norton’s new novel is a real thriller. Therefore, every single chapter must be thrilling.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy.
b. Division.
c. Hasty generalization.
d. Composition.
e. Appeal to unqualified authority.
Answer: b. Division.
Question: 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.
Answer Choices:
a. Accident.
b. Appeal to unqualified authority.
c. No fallacy.
d. You, too (tu quoque).
e. Appeal to force.
Answer: a. Accident.
Question: In a random sample of 300 current year Honda Civic Hybrids, 100 had a defect in the fuel injection system. Therefore, probably about a third of that entire production run has a defect in the fuel injection system.
Answer Choices:
a. False cause.
b. Missing the point.
c. Hasty generalization.
d. No fallacy.
e. Composition.
Answer: d. No fallacy.
Question: This brick made of 24-carat gold has been sliced into 50 pieces. Therefore, each of the pieces must be 24-carat gold.
Answer Choices:
a. Composition.
b. False cause.
c. Division.
d. Suppressed evidence.
e. No fallacy.
Answer: e. No fallacy.
Question: It’s absolutely clear that the U.S. should get out of the U.N. National autonomy should never be turned over to foreign nations.
Answer Choices:
a. Begging the question.
b. Appeal to ignorance.
c. Red herring.
d. Appeal to the people.
e. No fallacy.
Answer: a. Begging the question.
Question: Movie star Marci Downs says in magazine ads that the new Porsche XKG is the sexiest car on the road. But you shouldn’t take what she says too seriously because she’s paid thousands of dollars to make these ads.
Answer Choices:
a. False cause.
b. Argument against the person, abusive.
c. Appeal to ignorance.
d. Red herring.
e. Composition.
Answer: b. Argument against the person, abusive.
Question: Ed Jackson argues that the war in Iraq was a tragic mistake. But look who’s talking! Before his recent discharge, Jackson was participating in the very war he now condemns. Obviously his arguments can’t be trusted.
Answer Choices:
a. Appeal to unqualified authority.
b. You, too (tu quoque).
c. No fallacy.
d. Appeal to the people.
e. Argument against the person, abusive.
Answer: b. You, too (tu quoque).
Question: Katie has been squabbling with her fiancé about the details of their wedding. Thus, it would be a good idea for her to hire somebody to beat him up.
Answer Choices:
a. Division.
b. False cause.
c. Missing the point.
d. No fallacy.
e. Appeal to force.
Answer: c. Missing the point.
Question: Nobody has ever proved that capitalist economics corrupts people’s values, as Karl Marx claimed. Therefore, we must conclude that capitalism does not corrupt people’s values.
Answer Choices:
a. Suppressed evidence.
b. Appeal to ignorance.
c. Appeal to unqualified authority.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. No fallacy.
Answer: b. Appeal to ignorance.
Question: Either you buy me a new Rolex watch, or I’ll be late for all my meetings. I’m sure you don’t want me to be late, so you’ll buy me the Rolex. How about that one with diamonds on the face?
Answer Choices:
a. Complex question.
b. Begging the question.
c. No fallacy.
d. Appeal to force.
e. False dichotomy.
Answer: e. False dichotomy.