Logical Fallacies Practice

What is circular reasoning?

• A fallacy where the conclusion is based on evidence that is irrelevant to the argument.

• A fallacy where the conclusion repeats the premise in a slightly different form.

• A fallacy where the argument contains an irrelevant distraction to divert attention.

• A fallacy where the conclusion is drawn from a hasty generalization.

Which of the following best defines hasty generalization?

• Drawing a conclusion based on too few examples.

• Assuming that something is true because many people believe it.

• Attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself.

• Misrepresenting someone’s argument to make it easier to attack.

Juxtaposition is a rhetorical device used in writing to emphasize ideas and stir emotions of the readers.

Juxtaposition: placing very different or things side by side to show how they are alike or different

Example: a preserved historic building among modern skyscrapers.

Why might an environmental essayist juxtapose a landfill and a wilderness?

• to stress the need for reducing waste to save the wilderness

• to demonstrate that wilderness is the best place to put landfills

What does the bandwagon appeal fallacy involve?

• Attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself.

• Arguing that something is true because many people believe it.

• Drawing a conclusion based on too few examples.

• Misrepresenting someone’s argument to make it easier to attack.

What is the slippery slope fallacy?

• Arguing that something is false because it is difficult to understand.

• Claiming that a relatively small first step will inevitably lead to a chain of related events culminating in some significant effect.

• Appealing to popular beliefs to gain support for an argument.

• Attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself.

Juxtaposition is a rhetorical device used in writing to emphasize ideas and stir emotions of the readers.

Juxtaposition: placing very different or things side by side to show how they are alike or different

Example: a preserved historic building among modern skyscrapers.

Why would a poet most likely juxtapose the glossy auburn curls on a child’s head with the grandfather’s grizzly gray beard?

• to contrast youth and old age

• to compare types of hair

What characterizes a false analogy?

• Comparing two things that are not really comparable in order to argue that they are alike in other ways.

• Attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself.

• Drawing a conclusion based on too few examples.

• Arguing that something is true because it is difficult to understand.

Juxtaposition is a rhetorical device used in writing to emphasize ideas and stir emotions of the readers.

Juxtaposition: placing very different or things side by side to show how they are alike or different

Example: a preserved historic building among modern skyscrapers.

Which of the following examples illustrates juxtaposition?

• Under the warm sun, gray-green olive trees dot the island’s landscape.

• Beyond the gray-green olive trees, yellow-gray clouds billow from factory smokestacks.

Which statement demonstrates a bandwagon appeal fallacy?

• If you work hard and stay dedicated, you can achieve your goals.

• Nine out of ten dentists recommend this toothpaste, so you should use it too.

• Exercise and a balanced diet are essential for maintaining good health.

• This car is the best-selling model, so everyone is buying it. You should too!

What is the definition of an appeal to emotion fallacy?

• Presenting a strong and persuasive argument based on facts and evidence.

• Providing multiple options and encouraging individuals to choose the most emotionally appealing one.

• Making a statement that is universally agreed upon, thus invoking a sense of unity and emotion.

• Using emotional manipulation or sentiment to convince others of a claim rather than providing valid reasoning.