Question: Rachel could not possibly have painted this beautiful landscape scene. Rachel is so inept she doesn’t even know which end of the brush goes in the paint. And she hasn’t a shred of ability when it comes to color or design.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy
b. False cause
c. Argument against the person, abusive
d. Composition
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial
Answer: a. No fallacy
Question: 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.
Answer Choices:
a. False cause
b. Slippery slope
c. Begging the question
d. No fallacy
e. Equivocation
Answer: c. Begging the question
Question: Nobody has ever proved that pornography results in increased incidents of rape and child abuse. Thus, we can only conclude that pornography has no effect on the crime rate.
Answer Choices:
a. False dichotomy
b. Appeal to ignorance
c. No fallacy
d. Hasty generalization
e. Appeal to unqualified authority
Answer: b. Appeal to ignorance
Question: Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Therefore, since old Ben would never lie about anything so important as God, we must conclude that God does indeed exist.
Answer Choices:
a. Appeal to unqualified authority
b. False cause
c. No fallacy
d. Begging the question
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial
Answer: a. Appeal to unqualified authority
Question: Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank argues in favor of legalizing gay marriage. But this guy is just another one of those left-wing marriage bashers who doesn’t have a clue about the sanctity of marriage as a social institution. Nobody should listen to his nonsense.
Answer Choices:
a. Appeal to unqualified authority
b. Red herring
c. Argument against the person, abusive
d. You, too (tu quoque)
e. No fallacy
Answer: c. Argument against the person, abusive
Question: Every player on the varsity chess team is very good. Therefore, the team is very good.
Answer Choices:
a. Division
b. Begging the question
c. Composition
d. Hasty generalization
e. No fallacy
Answer: e. No fallacy
Question: Marsha Taylor, the college president, argues that it’s inappropriate to have condom-dispensing machines on campus. Apparently Taylor is completely anti-sex. Just abolish sex altogether. That’s what she wants. But without sex there would be no human race. And no animals either. Obviously Taylor’s argument makes no sense whatsoever.
Answer Choices:
a. Missing the point
b. No fallacy
c. Red herring
d. Straw man
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial
Answer: d. Straw man
Question: Either you support the administration’s policies or you don’t deserve to be called a patriotic American. The choice should be obvious.
Answer Choices:
a. Accident
b. False dichotomy
c. Appeal to force
Answer: b. False dichotomy
Question: Every word in this sentence is meaningful. Therefore, the sentence is meaningful.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy
b. Complex question
c. Composition
d. Hasty generalization
e. Division
Answer: c. Composition
Question: Andrew’s new cell phone works well in fringe areas. Therefore, probably Madison’s new cell phone, which is the same make and model as Andrew’s, with the same service provider, works well in fringe areas, too.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy
b. Slippery slope
c. False cause
d. Appeal to unqualified authority
e. Weak analogy
Answer: a. No fallacy
Question: During the two years that Abigail has served as president of the Crescent Society, several of its members have suffered from insomnia. Thus, in the interests of better sleep for these people, the Society should elect a new president.
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy
b. Equivocation
c. Weak analogy
d. Appeal to ignorance
e. False cause
Answer: e. False cause
Question: Whoever fires a gun at another person should be arrested. But those cowboys on the movie set are firing their guns at each other. Thus, those cowboys should be arrested.
Answer Choices:
a. Hasty generalization
b. No fallacy
c. Begging the question
d. Accident
e. False dichotomy
Answer: d. Accident
Question: This unopened can of iced tea contains lemon juice. Therefore, every single spoonful of it contains lemon juice.
Answer Choices:
a. Composition
b. Hasty generalization
c. No fallacy
d. Missing the point
e. Division
Answer: c. No fallacy
Question: Frank, I know you’ll want to lend me the down payment money for my new house. After all, you wouldn’t want the IRS to find out that you failed to report a hundred thousand dollars of income on your last tax return.
Answer Choices:
a. Missing the point
b. Appeal to force
c. Appeal to pity
d. No fallacy
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial
Answer: b. Appeal to force
Question: So, you insist on going to the movies tonight. Why do you always have to get your own way?
Answer Choices:
a. No fallacy
b. Complex question
c. Straw man
d. Begging the question
e. Appeal to force
Answer: b. Complex question
Question: In a random poll of 400 students from Belview College, 72 percent said that they own a digital camera. Therefore, probably most Belview students own a digital camera.
Answer Choices:
a. Weak analogy
b. False cause
c. Composition
d. Hasty generalization
e. No fallacy
Answer: e. No fallacy
Question: Health care is a fundamental right. This is so because citizens have a right to the necessities of life. And this follows from the fact that life is a fundamental right. And naturally, this is true because the state has the obligation to protect life. And why is this true? Because the state has an obligation to provide health care. And this follows from the fact that health care is a fundamental right.
Answer Choices:
a. Begging the question
b. Red herring
c. Slippery slope
d. Missing the point
e. No fallacy
Answer: a. Begging the question
Question: Nobody has ever proved that the ready availability of guns causes an increase in the number of murders and robberies. Hence, we conclude that the availability of guns has no effect on the frequency of these crimes.
Answer Choices:
a. Missing the point
b. Composition
c. No fallacy
d. Appeal to ignorance
e. Complex question
Answer: d. Appeal to ignorance