Arguments

What is an argument?

• A fight between two people

• A reasoned statement supporting a claim

• A personal opinion without evidence

• A collection of random ideas

Does "argument" always mean conflict?

• Yes, it always involves disagreement

• No, it refers to presenting reasons to support a claim

• Only when people shout at each other

• • It depends on the situation

Which of the following is an example of a logical argument?

• "Everyone else is doing it, so I should too."

• "If we don’t take action now, everything will go wrong!"

• "All cats are mammals. Luna is a cat. Therefore, Luna is a mammal."

• "You’re wrong because I said so!"

What is a "red herring" fallacy?

• A false dilemma

• A distraction that shifts attention away from the main issue

• A direct attack on someone's character

• A logical argument with strong evidence

Which of the following is an example of a red herring fallacy?

• "We need better school lunches, but what about students who skip class?"

• "If we allow this, the whole world will collapse!"

• "You can’t trust them, they wear weird clothes!"

• "Everyone else is doing it, so we should too!"

What is a "bandwagon" fallacy?

• A claim that something is true because many people believe it

• A well-supported logical argument

• A direct personal attack

• An appeal to ethics

Which of the following is an example of the bandwagon fallacy?

• "If we don’t ban social media, teenagers will never study again!"

• "Everyone else is buying this phone, so it must be the best!"

• "Cats are mammals. This animal is a cat, so it must be a mammal."

• "The school should focus on safety rather than uniforms."

What is a "slippery slope" fallacy?

• A well-reasoned cause-and-effect relationship

• Assuming one small event will lead to extreme consequences

• A structured rebuttal to an argument

• A fallacy that compares two unrelated things

Which of these is an example of a slippery slope fallacy?

• "If we allow students to use phones in class, soon no one will study, and they will all fail!"

• "Many people prefer online learning because it allows flexibility."

• "Fast food is unhealthy, so schools should promote balanced diets."

• "Studies show that exercise improves mental health."

What is a "strawman" fallacy?

• A logical argument that refutes an opposing viewpoint

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

• An argument based on statistical evidence

• A type of analogy used in persuasion