24 Questions
What is the main characteristic of an Ad Hominem fallacy?
Rejecting a claim based on the character of the person making it
Which of the following is an example of Ad Hominem fallacy?
Alex Jones is a terrible person, so his claim that smoking is bad for you must be false
What is the purpose of Ad Hominem fallacy?
To weaken an argument by attacking the person making the claim
Why is Ad Hominem fallacy considered a fallacy?
Because it is an attack on the person, not the argument
What is the general form of Ad Hominem fallacy?
Person X is bad, so their claim is false
Which of the following is NOT an example of Ad Hominem fallacy?
The evidence suggests that smoking is bad for you, so it is true
What is the difference between Ad Hominem and other fallacies?
Ad Hominem is an informal fallacy, while others are formal
What is the relationship between Ad Hominem and relevance?
Ad Hominem is a type of relevance fallacy
What is the main goal of using Red Herring fallacy?
To introduce an irrelevant claim to avoid conceding a point
In the example of Red Herring, what was the original topic of discussion?
The effect of wind farms on climate change
What is a common characteristic of Red Herring fallacy?
It introduces an irrelevant claim to divert attention
What is an example of a different type of fallacy mentioned in the text?
Ad Hominem
What is the outcome of using Red Herring fallacy?
The conversation is diverted to an unrelated topic
What is the general form of Red Herring fallacy?
P is under discussion, and irrelevant point q is introduced
What is the main difference between Red Herring and Ad Hominem fallacies?
Red Herring introduces an irrelevant claim, while Ad Hominem attacks the opponent's character
What is the effect of using Red Herring fallacy on a conversation?
It diverts attention away from the original topic
What is the main issue with the argument 'My opponent claims that the immigration issue is a human rights issue, but did you know that her own father is an immigrant?'?
The argument is a personal attack on the opponent
Which of the following is an example of an Ad Hominem fallacy?
All of the above
What is the purpose of pointing out the personal characteristics of an opponent in an argument?
To discredit the opponent's argument
Which of the following is NOT a type of fallacy?
Critical Thinking
What is the name of the fallacy that involves attacking the person rather than the argument?
Ad Hominem
Which of the following is an example of Tu Quoque fallacy?
You're guilty of the same thing you're accusing me of
What is the main issue with the argument 'I hit my brother, which is wrong, but he started it, which is worse, so hitting him was okay'?
The argument is an example of Two Wrongs Make a Right fallacy
Which of the following is a type of informal fallacy?
Ad Hominem
Study Notes
Informal Fallacies
- Informal fallacies: arguments where premises are not relevant to the conclusion
- Evidence has no bearing on the truth of the conclusion
Ad Hominem
- Attack on the person making the claim, rather than the claim itself
- General form:
- Person X is good/bad
- Person X says p
- So, p is true/false
- Examples:
- Alex Jones is a terrible person, so we shouldn't listen to his claim that smoking is bad for you
- Dr. Anthony Fauci is a brilliant virologist, so Terry Pratchett must be overrated
Two Wrongs Make a Right
- Fallacy of assuming that because two wrongs are committed, they cancel each other out
- Example:
- Killing people is wrong
- But this person committed murder, which is also wrong
- So, killing this person is okay
Recap: Informal Fallacies
- Fallacies of relevance: premises are not relevant to the conclusion
- Examples:
- Personal character
- Personal motive
- Hypocrisy
- Actions of others
- Faulty reasoning: arguments relying on irrelevant information
Red Herring
- Fallacy of introducing an irrelevant claim to avoid conceding a point
- General form:
- P is under discussion
- Irrelevant point q is introduced
- Now q is being discussed, and p is abandoned
- Example:
- A: We should use wind farms to combat climate change
- B: You know, wind farms kill birds
- A: No, they don't; that's ridiculous
- B: Yes, they do! And the noise they make could cause cancer!
Identify and understand informal fallacies, specifically Ad Hominem, where an argument attacks the person making a claim rather than the claim itself.
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