Logical Fallacies

Which of the following is an example of "ad hominem?"

• Mary Warren is not believed when she says that the girls were faking everything because Abby accuses her of sending out her spirit.
• Cheever casts doubt on John because he does not go to church on Sundays.
• Mary Warren reminds the Proctors that she is an official of the court and can accuse anyone of witchcraft.
• Elizabeth had a doll, so the needle must be from her.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

What is the definition of "tu quoque?"

• When a claim is regected on the basis of an irrelevant fact about the person.
• When a claim is presented in order to produce fear.
• When a person's claim is considered false because it is inconsistent with that person's words or actions.
• If A occurs before B, then A is the cause of B.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Which of the following is an example of "ad baculum" or appeal to fear?

• When Abby accuses Elizabeth of putting the needle in her stomach.
• When Mary reminds the Proctor's that she can accuse them at any time.
• When everyone claims everyone else of witchcraft.
• When everyone believes Hale because of his past jobs.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

What is the definition of "post hoc?"

• Person A makes claim X. Person B makes an attack on person A. Therefore, A's claim is false.
• Person A claims to be an expert on a subject, so everyone believes them.
• Event X has happened, so everyone believes event Y will happen.
• A occurs before B, so A must be the cause of B.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Which of the following is an example of "slippery slope?"

• One person has been accused of witchcraft, therefore all of his/her acquaintances are also witches.
• Hale is an expert on demonic arts, so everyone believes everything he says.
• Mary knows she has authority over the Proctor's, so she uses it against them.
• Danforth leads Mary to answer questions in ways that benefit him.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

What is the definition of "false dilemma?"

• Either claim X is true, or claim Y is true (when X and Y could both be false), but people believe claim Y is false, so claim X must be true.
• Person A is an authority on subject S. Person A makes a claim C about subject S. Therefore, C is true.
• Person A makes claim X. Person B makes an attack on person A. Therefore, A's claim is false.
• When a claim is considered false because it is inconsistent with that person's words or actions.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Which of the following is an example of "false authority?"

• Mary Warren accuses Goody Good of being a witch because she doesn't like her.
• Putnam accuses his neighbors of witchcraft because he wants their land.
• Hale is supposed to be an authority of witches and witchcraft. Hales signs papers that women are witches. Therefore, all those women are witches.
• Danforth leads Mary to answer questions in a way that makes him look good.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Which of the following is the definition for deductive reasoning?

• Reasoning that is air tight.

• Reasoning where all premises are true.

• Reasoning where there is no doubt.

• All statements are true.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

What is a fallacy?

• When someone cheats on someone else.

• When someone bases an argument off of faulty reasoning.

• When someone wins an argument because they had good reasons.

• When someone loses an argument because they had bad reasons.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Which of the following is the best definition for ad hominem?

• Person A makes claim X, Person B makes an attack on Person A, Therefore A's claim is false.

• When someone's claim is considered false because their words are inconsistent with their actions.

• When Y is presented to produce fear, so claim X is true.

• A occurs before B, therefore A is the cause of B.

• Event A has occurred, so event Z will inevitably happen.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1