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INSTRUCTIONS: Select the answer that best characterizes each argument.
1. Mr. Quigley, who is a lobbyist for the oil industry, says that the government should subsidize oil exploration. In view of
Mr. Quigley’s credentials, it follows that the government should certainly do this.
a. False cause.
b. Appeal to unqualified authority.
c. No fallacy.
d. Begging the question.
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
2. Professor Smyth argues for the adoption of stronger standards covering food imported from China. But Smyth is a
disgusting leftist ex hippie who reportedly has sex with his female students. Smyth’s arguments are trash, just as he is.
a. Argument against the person, abusive.
b. Red herring.
c. Appeal to unqualified authority.
d. You, too (tu quoque).
e. No fallacy.
3. Every tile on this kitchen floor is light blue in color. Therefore, the entire floor is light blue in color.
a. Division.
b. Begging the question.
c. Composition.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. No fallacy.
4. Karen argues that it’s not right to post the photographs of convicted child molesters on the Internet. Obviously Karen
supports child molestation. But these monsters have completely ruined the lives of thousands of children. They can’t be
allowed to wreak their havoc any longer. Clearly, Karen’s argument is misguided.
a. Missing the point.
b. No fallacy.
c. Red herring.
d. Straw man.
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
5. Either you spend $200 on a pair of True Religion jeans, or everybody will think you’re out of style. It’s up to you.
a. Suppressed evidence.
b. Accident.
c. Appeal to force.
d. No fallacy.
e. False dichotomy.
6. Every member of the Viking Society was born in Norway. Therefore, the Viking Society was born in Norway.
a. No fallacy.
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b. Complex question.
c. Composition.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. Division.
7. The Ionic Blast hairdryer does a great job removing the frizz from Francesca’s hair. Therefore, since Gabriella’s hair is
virtually identical to Francesca’s, probably the Ionic Blast would do a good job removing the frizz from Gabriella’s hair.
a. Slippery slope.
b. No fallacy.
c. False cause.
d. Appeal to unqualified authority.
e. Weak analogy.
8. The number of alcoholics has risen steadily for the past 20 years, and so has the number of treatment centers. Therefore,
to cut down on alcoholism we should eliminate the treatment centers.
a. Appeal to ignorance.
b. Equivocation.
c. Weak analogy.
d. False cause.
e. No fallacy.
9. Children should be seen and not heard. Therefore, it was wrong for that drowning child to scream for help.
a. Accident.
b. No fallacy.
c. Begging the question.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. False dichotomy.
10. The Northern Express railway train is headed north. Therefore, every car on that train is headed north.
a. Composition.
b. Hasty generalization.
c. No fallacy.
d. Missing the point.
e. Division.
11. You had better believe in God, because if you don’t, then you’ll suffer the torment of eternal damnation.
a. Appeal to force.
b. Missing the point.
c. Appeal to pity.
d. No fallacy.
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
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12. Eddie, one of your friends was asking about you the other day. He wanted to know if you were still having sex with
14-year-old girls. What should I tell him the next time I see him? Are you still doing it?
a. Begging the question.
b. No fallacy.
c. Straw man.
d. Complex question.
e. Appeal to force.
13. Every squirrel that has ever been observed likes nuts. Therefore, probably every squirrel likes nuts.
a. False cause.
b. No fallacy.
c. Composition.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. Weak analogy.
14. The government has no right to spy on its citizens because citizens have a right to privacy. And this is true because
such a right is guaranteed by the Constitution—which follows from the fact that our founding fathers recognized the
sanctity of individual privacy against the intrusive power of the government. And of course this is true because the
government has no right to spy on its citizens.
a. No fallacy.
b. Red herring.
c. Slippery slope.
d. Missing the point.
e. Begging the question.
15. Nobody has ever proved that the Big Bang theory of the universe is true. Therefore, we must conclude that the Big
Bang theory is false.
a. Complex question.
b. Composition.
c. No fallacy.
d. Missing the point.
e. Appeal to ignorance.
16. No spoiled brats are good childhood companions. Therefore, no good childhood companions are spoiled brats.
a. No fallacy.
b. Red herring.
c. Begging the question.
d. False dichotomy.
e. Amphiboly.
17. Astronomers study stars. Nicole Kidman is a star. Therefore, astronomers study Nicole Kidman.
a. Begging the question.
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b. Equivocation.
c. Amphiboly.
d. No fallacy.
e. Composition.
18. Members of the jury, surely you will not find defendant Carlos guilty of burglary. Carlos is a visitor from our neighbor
to the south, where he has eight young brothers and sisters. Those poor kids and their impoverished mother live a
desperate hand-to-mouth existence. Carlos was hoping only to send a few more dollars home to ease their suffering. In the
name of humanity, you must vote to acquit this caring brother.
a. Slippery slope.
b. No fallacy.
c. Missing the point.
d. Appeal to pity.
e. Red herring.
19. The president of our college has promised to stop drinking on campus. Apparently the president has a drinking
problem.
a. Equivocation.
b. Appeal to unqualified authority.
c. Amphiboly.
d. No fallacy.
e. Suppressed evidence.
20. Pet owners argue for a law to ensure that pet food is free of lethal contaminants. Apparently they are unaware that half
the children of the world eat contaminated food and drink polluted water every day. Thousands of these kids die regularly
from cholera. The nations of the world should unite to halt this ongoing tragedy. In the mean time, we can forget about
pets.
a. Argument against the person, abusive.
b. Complex question.
c. No fallacy.
d. Straw man.
e. Red herring.
21. Dr. David Sherman of the National Skin Cancer Society reports that tanning salons pose a serious risk for skin cancer.
Therefore, we should consider legislation to regulate the tanning industry.
a. No fallacy.
b. False cause.
c. Appeal to unqualified authority.
d. False dichotomy.
e. Appeal to the people.
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22. Your little Tommy wants a slingshot for his birthday, but you shouldn’t give him one. If you do, next he’ll want a B-B
gun. Then a 22 rifle. After that it will be a high powered rifle, and then an Uzi and an AK–47. Soon he’ll want a bazooka
and after that an antiaircraft gun. In no time your home will become an armory.
a. No fallacy.
b. Missing the point.
c. Slippery slope.
d. False cause.
e. Red herring.
23. This cherry pie is delicious. Therefore, every ingredient in this pie is delicious.
a. Appeal to the people.
b. Division.
c. Composition.
d. Hasty generalization.
e. No fallacy.
24. If cleaner cars are produced, then there will be fewer greenhouse gasses. There will be fewer greenhouse gasses.
Therefore, cleaner cars will be produced.
a. This argument contains a fallacy of ambiguity.
b. This argument contains no fallacy.
c. This argument contains a fallacy of weak induction.
d. This argument contains a formal fallacy.
e. This argument contains a fallacy of illicit transference.
25. Either Kansas or Ohio is situated on the Mississippi River. But Ohio is not on the Mississippi. Therefore, it must be
Kansas.
a. Suppressed evidence.
b. Weak analogy.
c. False dichotomy.
d. Amphiboly.
e. No fallacy.
26. While driving on the freeway a big truck cut me off when it changed lanes. A few days earlier another truck tailgated
me, and yet another refused to dim its lights. The conclusion is obvious that truckers these days are as rude as they are
reckless.
a. Composition.
b. Missing the point.
c. Hasty generalization.
d. No fallacy.
e. Appeal to unqualified authority.
27. Can you believe that some parents want to control their kids’ access to the Internet? Who are these autocrats who insist
on imposing their views on others? This country was born in a spirit of freedom and self determination. Countless patriots
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have died to preserve our sacred values. We must cherish those values! We must nurture them in our children! End all
mind control now and forever!
a. Appeal to the people.
b. No fallacy.
c. Red herring.
d. Slippery slope.
e. Begging the question.
28. Global warming has never been a big problem in the past. Therefore, it won’t be a big problem in the future.
a. Accident.
b. Suppressed evidence.
c. False cause.
d. Equivocation.
e. No fallacy.
29. By accident Shelley left her old fashioned flashlight turned on all night. Therefore, it’s likely that the batteries are
dead.
a. False cause.
b. Appeal to pity.
c. Hasty generalization.
d. No fallacy.
e. Suppressed evidence.
30. Those boarding a bus are never required to pass through a security checkpoint. Therefore, those boarding an airliner
should not be required to pass through a security checkpoint.
a. Begging the question.
b. False cause.
c. Weak analogy.
d. No fallacy.
e. Missing the point.
31. The Bible is unquestionably true because deep in my heart I feel that it is.
a. Appeal to the people.
b. No fallacy.
c. Equivocation.
d. Begging the question.
e. Appeal to ignorance.
32. Our weightlifting coach argues with great conviction about the dangers of steroids, but you really can’t take him
seriously. I’ve been told by a trustworthy source that when the coach was our age he popped steroid pills every day.
a. You, too (tu quoque).
b. Appeal to unqualified authority.
c. No fallacy.
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d. Argument against the person, abusive.
e. Straw man.
33. My friend Connie used a green Bic pen to solve the problems on her last algebra test, and after the test was graded she
got an A. So if you want to get an A in algebra, you should work all the test problems with a green Bic pen.
a. Begging the question.
b. Appeal to pity.
c. Argument against the person, abusive.
d. No fallacy.
e. False cause.
34. Nobody has ever heard a monkey talk. Therefore, probably monkeys don’t talk.
a. Appeal to ignorance.
b. Division.
c. Hasty generalization.
d. No fallacy.
e. Appeal to the people.
35. Irving is a wonderful cook. But every cook is a human being. Therefore, Irving is a wonderful human being.
a. Suppressed evidence.
b. No fallacy.
c. Equivocation.
d. Amphiboly.
e. Composition.
36. Jim, it’s clear that you want that job with the Acme accounting agency. Therefore, to improve your chances, you
should tell the interviewer that if he doesn’t give you the job you will kidnap one of his children.
a. Missing the point.
b. False cause.
c. Appeal to force.
d. No fallacy.
e. Begging the question.
37. Randy, you have a good eye. Tell me: Do you think this dress makes me look too fat?
a. Appeal to ignorance.
b. No fallacy.
c. Begging the question.
d. Complex question.
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38. Practically everyone has driven home at one time or other after having had a few drinks. Therefore, you shouldn’t have
any problem with driving home now, even though you’re a bit tipsy.
a. You, too (tu quoque).
b. Hasty generalization.
c. No fallacy.
d. Appeal to the people.
e. False dichotomy.
39. It’s not possible that Jessica prepared this delicious meal all by herself. Jessica is too stupid to read a cookbook, she
can’t measure anything, she has absolutely no sense of taste, and she doesn’t even know how to boil water.
a. Appeal to the people.
b. No fallacy.
c. Argument against the person, abusive.
d. Appeal to pity.
e. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
40. Benny has argued for a long time for a new national park in Montana, but you really shouldn’t listen to him. Benny
owns a general store in the proposed vicinity, and if the park is created, he stands to profit handsomely from the flow of
visitors.
a. Argument against the person, abusive.
b. Appeal to unqualified authority.
c. Argument against the person, circumstantial.
d. Appeal to ignorance.
e. No fallacy.