Week 6 Knowledge Check Study Guide

Concepts

Mastery

Non-emotion-based

Score: 23 / 24

Questions

100%

15

100%

100%

14

0%

11

Ad Hominem

100%

18

Burden of Proof

100%

19

False Dilemma

100%

21

fallacies
Fallacies that appeal to
emotion
Two Wrongs Make a
Right
Recognizing When No
Fallacy is Present

20

16

10

12

13

17

Slippery Slope

100%

22

Begging the Question

100%

23

Straw Man

100%

24

Concept: Non-emotion-based fallacies

Mastery

100%

Questions

15

16

1.
Which of the following terms describes the fallacy of trying to sidetrack someone by
bringing up a related but irrelevant topic?

A.

Appeal to popularity

B.

Bandwagon

C.

Smoke screen

D.

Common practice

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
With a smoke screen, one can hide the real issue or true motivation for doing
something without telling a direct lie.
2.
Which of the following terms describes a fallacy that encourages the acceptance of a
claim on the grounds that it is already accepted by some substantial number of others?

A.

Two wrongs make a right

B.

Appeal to popularity

C.

Wishful thinking

D.

Scapegoating

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: B.
Even if all of the 245,000 people that were evacuated from Louisiana after Hurricane
Katrina claimed that something like this could never happen to them, they would be
wrong. It would be the fallacy of an appeal to popularity.
3.
Which of the following terms is used for a fallacy that tries to justify an action on the
grounds that it is normal behaviorpracticed by a significant number of the population?

A.

Peer pressure

B.

Apple polishing

C.

Appeal to common practice

D.

Scapegoating

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
Common practice is sometimes a cluebut not a proofthat a claim or action is a
correct one. However, it is sometimes the case that everyone is wrong, such as the
White plantation owner of the early 18th-century American South might have
claimed that slavery wasn't wrong because it was common practice in his day.
15.
Read the following statement: How can Muslims be opposed to alcoholic beverages?
People have been drinking them since before the beginning of history.Which fallacy is
this an example of?

A.

No fallacy

B.

Appeal to tradition

C.

Group think fallacy

D.

Rationalizing

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: B.
Traditions can be wrong or bad.
16.
Read the following statement: Its silly to take a bus to work when most people drive.
Which of the following describes this fallacy?

A.

No fallacy

B.

Rationalizing

C.

Appeal to popularity

D.

Appeal to tradition

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
What possible bearing could the fact that most people drive have on my
transportation decisions? This is an appeal to popularity.

Concept: Fallacies that appeal to emotion

Mastery

100%

Questions

10

12

13

17

4.
Which of the following terms describes a fallacy that argues for a course of action on the
grounds that taking this course will win the approval of others, and especially of ones
friends?

A.

Appeal to pity

B.

Bandwagon

C.

Two wrongs make a right

D.

Peer pressure

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: D.
While approval or disapproval of peers to act against ones better judgment is not a
valid argument, it can certainly pressure a person. For a valid argument, you need
reasons that are connected to the conclusion in a relevant way.
5.
Which of the following terms describes a fallacy that supports a claim on the grounds that
the alternative is too awful to deal with?

A.

Subjectivist fallacy

B.

Common practice

C.

Wishful thinking

D.

Two wrongs make a right

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
"Hoping" and "wishful thinking" are two different things. Someone who has hope
usually has good reasons to back up that hope (which makes it rational to be
hopeful). Wishful thinkers do not. There is no metaphysical efficacy in wishing; you
can't make it happen just by wishing for it.
6.
Which of the following terms is used to describe a fallacy that tries to play on your
compassion to get you to accept a claim instead of relying on sound reasons?

A.

Appeal to anger

B.

Appeal to popularity

C.

Argument from pity

D.

Wishful thinking

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
There is nothing wrong with feeling compassion, but that in itself is not necessarily a
valid reason. For example, feeling sorry for the job applicant whose family is
struggling is appropriate. However, your pity is irrelevant to the question "Who is the
best applicant for this job?"
7.
Which of the following terms refers to the fallacy otherwise known as an appeal to vanity?

A.

Appeal to popularity

B.

Common practice

C.

Apple polishing

D.

Two wrongs make a right

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
Praising a person's admirable qualities and accomplishments is often superfluous
and irrelevant to an argument. The reason people do it is often to manipulate that
person's emotions so that the person will be more amenable to accepting their
conclusion.
9.
Read the following letter to the editor: Dear Editors: When Al Zacharkiw wrote in to
criticize city workers, he didnt mention his occupation. I happen to know hes a millionaire
without a care in the world, and its terrible that he has the time to criticize people working
for him.Which fallacy is being used in this letter?

A.

No fallacy

B.

Guilt trip

C.

Argument from outrage

D.

Argument by force

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
There is no actual argument here. There is a series of inflammatory words followed
by a "conclusion." Anger is substituted for reasons, and without reasons no
conclusion can follow.
10.
Read the following statement for an accused mans lawyer: Ladies and gentlemen of the
jury: My client stands before you accused of three bank robberies. But the prosecution
has not told you about three little children in this story, who will have a hard time getting
food on their table if their daddy goes to prison.Of which fallacy is this an example?

A.

No fallacy

B.

Argument from pity

C.

Argument from popularity

D.

Rationalizing

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: B.
As much as we ought to have compassion on the hungry children (unless this is a
lie), compassion shouldnt be an element of argument.
12.
Read the following statement: There must be life on other planets. Imagine how lonely
well find the universe if we discover that were the only ones here.Which fallacy does
this statement represent?

A.

No fallacy

B.

Argument from force

C.

Wishful thinking

D.

Apple polishing

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
While it is true that a universe with only human beings in it would feel lonely, this fact
has nothing to do with the objective issue. Whether or not there is life on other
planets remains unaffected by our feelings on the matter. This is wishful thinking.
13.
Read the following opinion: Judge Cunningham keeps striking down our state
gun-control laws. She had better say goodbye to any hopes for a Supreme Court
appointment, as long as we have a Democrat in the White House.Which fallacy is at
work in this opinion statement?

A.

No fallacy

B.

Apple polishing

C.

Guilt trip

D.

Argument by force

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: D.
The threat to block her chance of getting a Supreme Court appointment if she
doesn't act according to the writers demands shows an argument by force.
17.
Read the following statement from a proposal presentation: Ladies and gentlemen, that
concludes my proposal. You know that I trust and honor your judgment. Even if you do not
approve my request, I am happy just to have had the chance to present this proposal to
such qualified experts. Thank you.This statement is an example of which fallacy?

A.

No fallacy

B.

Apple polishing

C.

Common practice

D.

Argument from outrage

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: B.
There was no need to add "to such qualified experts." This is apple polishing.

Concept: Two Wrongs Make a Right

Mastery

100%

Questions

14

8.
Read the following letter to the editor: Your magazine expresses sympathy for Annie
Larson, a putative 'fashion victim' because 'animal rights terrorists' splashed paint on her
mink coat. But, when I think of those dozens of animals maimed and anally electrocuted
to satisfy someones vanity, I know who the real victims are, and whos the real terrorist!

Which fallacy is at work in this letter?

A.

No fallacy

B.

Apple polishing

C.

Two wrongs make a right

D.

Common practice

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
Two wrongs dont make a right illustrates the tendency of people to justify wrong
actions because of others wrong actions.
14.
Read the following opinion: The United States is under no obligation to pay its debts to
the United Nations. Here we are, the biggest contributor to the UN budget, and we only
get one vote out of 185.Which fallacy is this an example of?

A.

No fallacy

B.

Common practice

C.

Two wrongs make a right

D.

Guilt trip

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
Perhaps it is unfair that the U.S. gets only one vote, but that, by itself, is no reason to
accept the conclusion that the U.S. should be freed of its obligations. Two wrongs do
not make a right.

Concept: Recognizing When No Fallacy is Present

Mastery

0%

Questions

11

11.
Read the following from a political speech: My opponent would like to see TV networks
label their programming, on the grounds that violent shows make children who watch
them violent. But he has pointed to no scientific study that shows a connection between
occasional violence on TV and violent behavior among children.Which fallacy is
demonstrated in this statement?

A.

No fallacy

B.

Two wrongs make a right

C.

Group think fallacy

D.

Argument from popularity

Incorrect:
The Correct Answer is: A.
The speaker is pointing out a fact: that there is not sufficient credible evidence
backing up his opponents claim; therefore, there is no fallacy.

Concept: Ad Hominem
Mastery

100%

Questions

18

20

18.
Which of the following terms is a rhetorical device which attacks the arguer instead of the
argument?

A.

Slippery slope

B.

Begging the question

C.

False dilemma

D.

Ad hominem

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: D.
When analyzing an argument, the internal claims premises are fair game for attack.
The qualities of the person making the argument are not fair game because they
aren't pertinent to the argument itself. Doing so is ad hominem.
20.

Poisoning the well and inconsistency are often versions or types of which of the following
rhetorical devices?

A.

Slippery slope

B.

Begging the question

C.

Ad hominem

D.

Burden of proof

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
This rhetorical device has several sub-categories that are dependent on the focus of
the attack. An ad hominem is an attack sometimes personal, sometimes based on
inconsistencies in the argument and sometimes a pre-attack in the form of poisoning
the well.

Concept: Burden of Proof

Mastery

100%

Questions

19

19.
Which of the following terms refers to a rhetorical device that unfairly places the onus of
providing evidence for a position on the wrong side of an issue?

A.

False dilemma

B.

Ad hominem

C.

Burden of proof

D.

Straw man

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
There are three main categories that provide reasonable grounds for putting the
burden of proof on one side of an issue rather than the other. They are: initial
plausibility (the less initial plausibility a claim has, the greater the burden of proof
rests on the person who asserts that claim); affirmative/negative (we usually want to
hear reasons why something is the case before we want to hear reasons why it is
not); and special circumstances (in order to ensure that we err on the side of caution
or fairness, the burden may be intentionally placed on the person making the
accusation). If these three do not apply, the arguer could be trying to place the
burden of proof on the wrong side of the argument.

Concept: False Dilemma

Mastery

100%

Questions

21

21.
Read the following statement: "Either join in political life or resign yourself to a lonely and
meaningless existence." This is an example of which rhetorical device?

A.

False dilemma

B.

Circumstantial ad hominem

C.

Appeal to ignorance

D.

Poisoning the well

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: A.
There are, in fact, other choices for living a meaningful life with company other than
politics. This is a false dilemma.

Concept: Slippery Slope

Mastery

100%

Questions

22

22.
Read the following observations: "Once your kids are watching cartoons, theyre also
watching those toy commercials. If they see the commercials theyll want the toys; before
you know it, theyre obsessed with the toys and youve lost all control over them. So dont
let children watch cartoons."Of which fallacy is this an example?

A.

Genetic fallacy

B.

Slippery slope

C.

Burden of proof

D.

Begging the question

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: B.
When the reasoning jumps from "they'll want the toys" to "they'll be obsessed with
the toys," red flags should be waving. No support for this leap is present in the
argument. Then, when it progresses to "losing all control over them" more red flags
should alert you to another unsupported jump in reasoning, as well as an unjustified
exaggeration. From beginning to end, the arguer pulls you from some premises you
are likely to accept to those you are not likely to accept if you weren't on a slippery
slope.

Concept: Begging the Question

Mastery

100%

Questions

23

23.
Read the following argument: "The life on other planets must be highly intelligent. After all,
weve never documented a single case of aliens landing on Earth, which proves that they
realize how dangerous it would be to make contact."This contains an example of which
type of fallacy?

A.

Appeal to ignorance

B.

Burden of proof

C.

Begging the question

D.

Perfectionist fallacy

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
This line of reasoning is begging the question; it is circular to say that aliens are
intelligent because they realize how dangerous it would be to make contact, and visa
versa. There may be other reasons why aliens haven't landed on Earth: maybe they
don't exist; maybe theyre shy, etc. This pseudo-reason doesn't help the argument
break out of the circle.

Concept: Straw Man

Mastery

100%

Questions

24

24.
Read the following questions: "Do I want the police department to take charge of writing
parking tickets? They carry guns! You mean, do I want to get shot if I pull up next to a fire
hydrant? What do you think?"Which fallacy is at work in these questions?

A.

False dilemma

B.

Appeal to ignorance

C.

Straw man

D.

Perfectionist fallacy

Correct:
The Correct Answer is: C.
The possibility of being shot by the police wasn't the topic of discussion, nor would it
have been a reasonable progression to the discussion. The person is using that
argument as a straw man argument (a made-up, weak argument) so it can be easily
dismissed.