Identifying Fallacies in Arguments: Appeal to Authority

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

What type of argument is presented when someone cites a famous person's opinion to support a claim, despite the person not being an expert in the field?

Post hoc ergo propter hoc
Hasty generalization
Ad hominem
Appeal to authority (correct)

What logical fallacy is committed when someone argues that we should abolish animal experimentation immediately, citing a hypothetical scenario as a consequence?

Appeal to authority
Slippery slope (correct)
Ad hominem
Hasty generalization

Which of the following is an example of hasty generalization?

Guy Handsome is an expert on the death penalty.
Experimenting on animals reduces respect for life. (correct)
If we don't stop animal experimentation, we will slide all the way down to the end of civilization.
We should abolish the death penalty because many people oppose it.

What is the main idea behind the statement 'Wrong! A lot of informational texts are based on author’s ideas, beliefs, or opinions.'?

Authors may present biased or opinionated information. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What type of logical fallacy is committed when someone assumes that because two events occurred in succession, one caused the other?

Post hoc ergo propter hoc (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of the argumentation step in analyzing evidence?

To identify the point or claim the author is trying to prove (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of authors presenting their ideas and supporting them with evidence in informational texts?

To convince readers of their opinions. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What type of evidence is often dismissed as untrustworthy and meaningless?

Anecdotal evidence (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason to avoid committing logical fallacies in arguments?

To form sound arguments (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary weakness of analogical evidence?

It is regarded as the weakest evidence (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of evidence is considered the strongest?

Statistical evidence (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of identifying specific facts and data in the specificity step?

To support the point or claim being made (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of explaining how the pieces of evidence are related to the claim in the relevance step?

To explain how the evidence supports the claim (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a hasty generalization?

Librarians are quiet people and disciplinarians. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a valid and a sound argument?

A valid argument is logical and has true premises, while a sound argument is logical and has true premises and conclusions. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of an appeal to authority?

Dr. Smith, a renowned expert in the field, agrees that climate change is real. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a logical fallacy?

It makes an argument sound. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of understanding logical fallacies in arguments?

To avoid committing errors in reasoning (A) Signup and view all the answers