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INSTRUCTIONS: Select the answer that best characterizes each argument.
1. Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Therefore, since old Ben would
never lie about anything so important as God, we must conclude that God does indeed exist.
a. Appeal to unqualified authority.
b. False cause.
c. No fallacy.
d. Begging the question.
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
2. Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan argues in favor of reducing Social Security benefits. But this guy is just another
one of those right-wing crazies who has no sense of social responsibility. Nobody should listen to his nonsense.
a. Appeal to unqualified authority.
b. Red herring.
c. Argument against the person, abusive.
d. You, too (tu quoque).
e. No fallacy.
3. Every player on the varsity chess team is very good. Therefore, the team is very good.
a. Division.
b. Begging the question.
c. Composition.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. No fallacy.
4. Marsha Taylor, the college president, argues that it’s inappropriate to have condom-dispensing machines on campus.
Apparently Taylor is completely anti sex. Just abolish sex altogether. That’s what she wants. But without sex there would
be no human race. And no animals either. Obviously Taylor’s argument makes no sense whatsoever.
a. Missing the point.
b. No fallacy.
c. Red herring.
d. Straw man.
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
5. Either you support the administration’s policies or you don’t deserve to be called a patriotic American. The choice
should be obvious.
a. Accident.
b. False dichotomy.
c. Appeal to force.
d. No fallacy.
e. Suppressed evidence.
6. Every word in this sentence is meaningful. Therefore, the sentence is meaningful.
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a. No fallacy.
b. Complex question.
c. Composition.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. Division.
7. Andrew’s new smartphone works well in fringe areas. Therefore, probably Madison’s new smartphone, which is the
same make and model as Andrew’s, with the same service provider, works well in fringe areas, too.
a. No fallacy.
b. Slippery slope.
c. False cause.
d. Appeal to unqualified authority.
e. Weak analogy.
8. During the two years that Abigail has served as president of the Crescent Society, several of its members have suffered
from insomnia. Thus, in the interests of better sleep for these people, the Society should elect a new president.
a. No fallacy.
b. Equivocation.
c. Weak analogy.
d. Appeal to ignorance.
e. False cause.
9. Whoever fires a gun at another person should be arrested. But those cowboys on the movie set are firing their guns at
each other. Thus, those cowboys should be arrested.
a. Hasty generalization.
b. No fallacy.
c. Begging the question.
d. Accident.
e. False dichotomy.
10. This unopened can of iced tea contains lemon juice. Therefore, every single spoonful of it contains lemon juice.
a. Composition.
b. Hasty generalization.
c. No fallacy.
d. Missing the point.
e. Division.
11. Frank, I know you’ll want to lend me the down payment money for my new house. After all, you wouldn’t want the
IRS to find out that you failed to report a hundred thousand dollars of income on your last tax return.
a. Missing the point.
b. Appeal to force.
c. Appeal to pity.
d. No fallacy.
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e. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
12. So, you insist on going to the movies tonight. Why do you always have to get your own way?
a. No fallacy.
b. Complex question.
c. Straw man.
d. Begging the question.
e. Appeal to force.
13. In a random poll of 400 students from Belview College, 83 percent said that they own a smartphone. Therefore,
probably most Belview students own a smartphone.
a. Weak analogy.
b. False cause.
c. Composition.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. No fallacy.
14. Health care is a fundamental right. This is so because citizens have a right to the necessities of life. And this follows
from the fact that life is a fundamental right. And naturally this is true because the state has the obligation to protect life.
And why is this true? Because the state has an obligation to provide health care. And this follows from the fact that health
care is a fundamental right.
a. Begging the question.
b. Red herring.
c. Slippery slope.
d. Missing the point.
e. No fallacy.
15. Nobody has ever proved that the ready availability of guns causes an increase in the number of murders and robberies.
Hence, we conclude that the availability of guns has no effect on the frequency of these crimes.
a. Missing the point.
b. Composition.
c. No fallacy.
d. Appeal to ignorance.
e. Complex question.
16. Either Britney Spears is a surgeon or Annette Bening is an astronaut. Therefore, it follows that either Annette Bening
is an astronaut or Britney Spears is a surgeon.
a. No fallacy.
b. Red herring.
c. Begging the question.
d. False dichotomy.
e. Amphiboly.
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17. Whatever is dull is stupid. This knife is extremely dull. Therefore, this knife is extremely stupid.
a. Amphiboly.
b. Begging the question.
c. Equivocation.
d. No fallacy.
e. Composition.
18. Members of the jury, surely you will not find Dr. Costello liable for amputating the wrong leg of his patient. During
four years of medical school this poor man groped and struggled just to get by. Unlike his fellow students, he had no rich
parents to pay his way. And during residency he was forced to work 16-hour days, rising before dawn and slaving away
long after sunset. And now this lawsuit. Nobody deserves to be treated this way.
a. Red herring.
b. No fallacy.
c. Missing the point.
d. Slippery slope.
e. Appeal to pity.
19. Paul said that his new dog eats virtually anything and is very fond of children. Therefore, you shouldn’t let your little
boy get anywhere near that dog.
a. Appeal to unqualified authority.
b. Amphiboly.
c. Equivocation.
d. No fallacy.
e. Suppressed evidence.
20. Mary Beth complains that our curriculum is weak in areas relating to diversity. But have you seen that girl’s tattoos?
They’re really something else—especially the red one right above her rear. And she must have a pound of metal stuck in
her body. Two big loops hang from her ears, there’s a small bar bell through her tongue, and another through her navel.
Let’s see … . Shall we move on to the next topic?
a. Straw man.
b. Complex question.
c. No fallacy.
d. Red herring.
e. Argument against the person, abusive.
21. Mr. Thompson, our jeweler, says that the stone in your ring is a sapphire. Since Mr. Thompson has an excellent
reputation among jewelers, we conclude that the stone is indeed a sapphire.
a. Appeal to unqualified authority.
b. False cause.
c. No fallacy.
d. False dichotomy.
e. Appeal to the people.
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22. Same-sex marriage should never be allowed in this state. If we allow gays to marry each other, then in no time uncles
will marry their nephews and nieces. Then fathers will marry their daughters, mothers will marry their sons, and brothers
will marry their sisters. Before long, pet owners will marry their dogs and cats, and this will lead to the complete
destruction of civilized life.
a. Slippery slope.
b. Missing the point.
c. No fallacy.
d. False cause.
e. Red herring.
23. Sylvia is an American. Americans are 12 percent black, 4 percent Asian, and 13 percent Hispanic. Therefore, Sylvia is
12 percent black, 4 percent Asian, and 13 percent Hispanic.
a. Hasty generalization.
b. Appeal to the people.
c. Composition.
d. Division.
e. No fallacy.
24. If TV programs become more inane, then viewers will be bored even further. Viewers will be bored even further.
Therefore, TV programs will become even more inane.
a. This argument contains no fallacy.
b. This argument contains a formal fallacy.
c. This argument contains a fallacy of weak induction.
d. This argument contains a fallacy of ambiguity.
e. This argument contains a fallacy of illicit transference.
25. Either Thomas Jefferson or Alexander Hamilton participated in writing the Federalist Papers. But Jefferson did not
participate in this project. Therefore, it was Hamilton who participated.
a. No fallacy.
b. Weak analogy.
c. False dichotomy.
d. Amphiboly.
e. Suppressed evidence.
26. Casey, Morgan, and Lawrence are freshman college students, and all of them are staunch Libertarians. It must be the
case that all freshmen are staunch Libertarians.
a. Appeal to unqualified authority.
b. Missing the point.
c. Composition.
d. No fallacy.
e. Hasty generalization.
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27. These environmentalists have gone overboard. Who are these crazies who dictate what we can do with our own
property? This great nation was founded in the spirit of capitalism, and free enterprise! The sacred right of private
property is grounded in the commands of almighty God! Down with the nature-nuts! Away with the eco-maniacs!
a. Slippery slope.
b. No fallacy.
c. Red herring.
d. Appeal to the people.
e. Begging the question.
28. During the past 200 years nobody has ever been cured of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Therefore, nobody will be cured of
Lou Gehrig’s disease in the next 200 years.
a. False cause.
b. Accident.
c. Suppressed evidence.
d. Equivocation.
e. No fallacy.
29. Tricia is coughing and sneezing, and her head is all stuffed up. Tricia must have a cold.
a. Appeal to pity.
b. No fallacy.
c. Hasty generalization.
d. False cause.
e. Suppressed evidence.
30. Congressman Henderson is a tall man with brown hair and blue eyes, and he supports the upcoming bill on handguns.
Congressman Wagner is also a tall man with brown hair and blue eyes. Thus, he probably supports the handgun bill, too.
a. Weak analogy.
b. False cause.
c. Begging the question.
d. No fallacy.
e. Missing the point.
31. The outsourcing of jobs by American companies is clearly beneficial. These jobs go to people in India and Southeast
Asia where good jobs are scarce.
a. Appeal to the people.
b. No fallacy.
c. Equivocation.
d. Begging the question.
e. Appeal to ignorance.
32. Jordan argues against alcohol abuse in fraternities. What a hypocrite! When Jordan was a student he was the biggest
binge drinker on campus. His arguments are a joke.
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a. Straw man.
b. Appeal to unqualified authority.
c. No fallacy.
d. Argument against the person, abusive.
e. You, too (tu quoque).
33. Whatever you do, never ask Haley Burns for a date. A few months after Victor started dating Haley he began suffering
from erectile dysfunction.
a. Argument against the person, abusive.
b. Appeal to pity.
c. False cause.
d. No fallacy.
e. Begging the question.
34. Nobody has ever seen Paul Carson go to church or participate in any religious activity. Therefore, probably Paul has
no formal religious beliefs.
a. No fallacy.
b. Division.
c. Hasty generalization.
d. Appeal to ignorance.
e. Appeal to the people.
35. Stacy is a terrible poker player. But every poker player is a person. Therefore, Stacy is a terrible person.
a. Amphiboly.
b. No fallacy.
c. Suppressed evidence.
d. Equivocation.
e. Composition.
36. When Edward turned the key in his new BMW this morning, the car wouldn’t start. Thus, he should call a tow truck
and have the car towed to the wrecking yard.
a. False cause.
b. Missing the point.
c. Accident.
d. No fallacy.
e. Begging the question.
37. Amy, since you know something about algebra, you can probably help me out with this. What is the value of x in the
equation x2 + 3x = 22?
a. Appeal to unqualified authority.
b. Appeal to ignorance.
c. Begging the question.
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d. Complex question.
e. No fallacy.
38. You shouldn’t worry a minute about dropping these tabs of ecstasy. Absolutely everyone who is the least bit cool is
doing it.
a. You, too (tu quoque).
b. Hasty generalization.
c. No fallacy.
d. Appeal to the people.
e. False dichotomy.
39. Willie the Weasel could not possibly be responsible for burglarizing the jewelry store. Willie is an inept bungler who
couldn’t steal a newspaper from a broken vending machine.
a. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
b. Appeal to the people.
c. Argument against the person, abusive.
d. Appeal to pity.
e. No fallacy.
40. Max argues that we should upgrade our firefighting equipment by purchasing a fleet of new trucks with all the bells
and whistles. But it’s only natural that he should argue this way. Max is a firefighter himself, and he just wants a fancy
new truck to ride around in.
a. Appeal to unqualified authority.
b. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
c. Argument against the person, abusive.
d. Appeal to ignorance.
e. No fallacy.