Logical Fallacies

What is the Democratic Fallacy?

• A logical error in reasoning that occurs when the popularity of an idea is used as evidence for its truth.

• A political system where decisions are made by a small group of people.

• A type of government where the ruler has absolute power.

• A belief that democracy is the only valid form of government.

Explain the Straw-Man Fallacy with an example.

• The Straw-Man Fallacy involves misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack.

• The Straw-Man Fallacy is a type of argument that involves using a strong argument to defeat an opponent.

• The Straw-Man Fallacy is a strategy of avoiding the main issue by focusing on side issues.

• The Straw-Man Fallacy is a method of arguing that involves using evidence to support a claim.

The Post Hoc Propter Hoc fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when one assumes that because one event followed another, the first event caused the second. Which of the following is an example of this fallacy?

• Assuming that because a rooster crows before sunrise, the crowing causes the sun to rise.

• Believing that eating chocolate causes acne because two people who ate chocolate had acne.

• Thinking that carrying a rabbit's foot causes good luck because someone had good luck after carrying one.

• All of the above

What does 'Begging the Question' mean in terms of logical fallacies?

• It means assuming the conclusion in the premises.

• It refers to diverting the argument to another issue.

• It involves attacking the person instead of the argument.

• It is about appealing to the popularity of a claim.

What is a Red Herring fallacy? Give an example.

• A distraction from the main issue

• A type of fish

• A logical argument

• A type of bird

The fallacy of 'Using and Abusing Tradition' can be explained with which of the following examples?

• Believing a practice is correct because it has been traditionally followed.

• Assuming a new method is better because it is modern.

• Rejecting an idea because it is unfamiliar.

• Accepting a theory because it is scientifically proven.

The fallacy of 'Denying the Antecedent' is described as:

• A logical error where one assumes that if 'P implies Q' is true, then 'not P implies not Q' must also be true.

• A valid form of reasoning where the negation of the antecedent leads to the negation of the consequent.

• A fallacy that occurs when the antecedent is affirmed instead of denied.

• A reasoning error that involves denying the consequent instead of the antecedent.

The fallacy of 'Affirming the Consequent' is:

• A logical fallacy where one assumes that if 'P implies Q' and 'Q is true', then 'P must be true'.

• A logical fallacy where one assumes that if 'P implies Q' and 'P is true', then 'Q must be true'.

• A logical fallacy where one assumes that if 'P implies Q' and 'Q is false', then 'P must be false'.

• A logical fallacy where one assumes that if 'P implies Q' and 'P is false', then 'Q must be false'.

Explain the 'Undistributed Middle Term' fallacy with an example.

• The 'Undistributed Middle Term' fallacy occurs when the middle term in a syllogism is not distributed in at least one of the premises.

• The 'Undistributed Middle Term' fallacy is a type of error in reasoning where the middle term is distributed in both premises.

• The 'Undistributed Middle Term' fallacy is a logical error that occurs when the middle term is distributed in the conclusion but not in the premises.

• The 'Undistributed Middle Term' fallacy is a mistake in reasoning where the middle term is not present in the conclusion.

What does the fallacy of 'Reductionism' entail? Provide an example.

• The fallacy of 'Reductionism' involves oversimplifying complex systems to their individual components, ignoring the interactions and complexities that arise from the whole. An example is explaining human behavior solely based on genetics, without considering environmental influences.

• The fallacy of 'Reductionism' involves attributing human characteristics to non-human entities. An example is describing a computer as 'thinking'.

• The fallacy of 'Reductionism' involves assuming that because two events occur together, one causes the other. An example is assuming that ice cream sales cause sunburns because both occur in summer.

• The fallacy of 'Reductionism' involves making a generalization based on a small sample size. An example is concluding that all swans are white after only seeing a few.