Questions and Answers
Which of the following arguments are examples of the fallacy of appeal to force?
Which of the following statements accurately describe the fallacy of false dichotomy?
What fallacy of presumption or diversion is committed by the following argument: 'Mark said he was very engaged on his date with Alli. Someone who is engaged should be planning their wedding, not dating other women. So, Mark should not go on a date with Jen.'
Equivocation
What fallacy does the following argument commit: 'If you won't clean your room, then you're going to start leaving the trash around. Then, you're not going to want to wash the dishes and you'll just leave them in the sink. Then, you're not going to want to clean anything up and eventually the house will be infested with cockroaches. So, clean your room!'
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Which of the following are true of the fallacy of appeal to emotion?
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Which of the following statements accurately describe the fallacy of equivocation?
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The conclusion of this argument is: Artist's Touch mugs are sold in many different countries. The premises are: Artist's Touch sells mugs. Artist's Touch is part of Dinomo Corporation. Dinomo is __________.
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What is the conclusion of the following argument: 'I have the day off. You should call in sick to work and go skiing with me. I've been having a hard time lately.'
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Which inductive fallacy is committed by the reasoning: 'My boyfriend (who is a basketball player) cheated on me. This just goes to show that all basketball players are cheaters.'
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Match each of the following fallacies of relevance to the argument that commits it:
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Study Notes
Appeal to Force
- Argument relies on intimidation or threats to influence behavior.
- Example: A parent threatens to take away a toy if a child doesn’t sleep.
- Example: A manager threatens to fire an employee for organizing a union.
- Not an example: Persuasive arguments based on consequences, rather than threats.
False Dichotomy
- Fallacy arises from presenting only two options while ignoring others.
- Typical pattern: "It isn't this. So it must be that."
- Identification involves uncovering omitted possibilities.
- Not all arguments with two alternatives commit this fallacy.
Equivocation
- Involves using a word or phrase with multiple meanings in reasoning.
- Occurs when a term is interpreted differently in premises and conclusion.
- Incorrectly describing equivocation does not involve supporting a proposition with itself.
Slippery Slope
- Fallacy predicts disastrous consequences from a single action without valid reasoning.
- Example: Not cleaning a room leads to a chain reaction of neglect and infestation.
Appeal to Emotion
- Induces strong emotions to sway an audience, but can be valid if accompanied by sound reasoning.
- Attempts to invoke subjectivism in an audience’s thinking.
- Misconception: "Jumping on the bandwagon" aligns more with social proof than emotional appeal.
Conclusion and Premises
- Conclusion identifies the main assertion derived from premises.
- Premises provide factual support for the conclusion.
- Example of division fallacy: Incorrect assumptions about specific groups based on general characteristics.
Hasty Generalization
- Inductive fallacy that derives a broad conclusion from insufficient evidence.
- Example: Concluding that all basketball players are dishonest based on the actions of one individual.
Match Each Fallacy
- Identifying which argument corresponds to specific fallacies helps in understanding reasoning errors.
- Knowing the context of fallacies aids in recognizing flawed arguments in discussions.
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Description
Test your understanding of fallacies with this quiz focused on appeal to force. You'll analyze various arguments to determine if they exemplify this fallacy. Perfect for students studying logic and critical thinking.
