Arguments in Action

Question 1

Appeals to emotion fallacy

Answer 1

An attempt to gain acceptance of a claim by appealing to a person’s emotions rather than facts. The emotional response is irrelevant to the truth of the argument being argued for.

Question 2

Analogical Argument

Answer 2

Because 2 things are similar in some respect, what is true of one thing is probably true of the other.

Question 3

Syntactic Ambiguity

Answer 3

When a sentence may be interpreted in more than one way due to the structure of the sentence or the grammar.

Question 4

Lexical Ambiguity

Answer 4

When a word in a sentence causes the sentence to be interpreted in more than one way.

Question 5

Ambiguity

Answer 5

A statement is ambiguous if it can be interpreted in more than one way.

Question 6

Affirming the consequent

Answer 6

P1) If ‘P’ then ‘Q’
P2) ‘Q’
C) Therefore ‘P’

Question 7

Plausible

Answer 7

If it is reasonable to accept it as true.

Question 8

Counterexample

Answer 8

Used to show that a universal statement is false.

Question 9

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

Answer 9

If it is assumed that during an argument that because X and Y occur one after another, the first causes the second.

Question 10

Validity

Answer 10

Would guarantee a true conclusion if the premises were true. If you take the premises to be true, the conclusion necessarily follows.

Question 11

Hidden Premise

Answer 11

A premise which is not explicitly stated but on which the argument may rely on for its strength or validity.

Question 12

Statement

Answer 12

A statement can be true or false.

Question 13

Slippery Slope fallacy

Answer 13

Claims that one thing will inevitably lead to another worse event.

Question 14

Rhetorical question

Answer 14

A question used to state a point or for dramatic effect.

Question 15

Ad Hominem tu quoque

Answer 15

The arguers conclusion is assumed to be false because their behaviour is inconsistent with their claim. E.g someone telling you to stop smoking whilst still smoking themselves.

Question 16

Ad Hominem - attacking the person fallacy

Answer 16

It is argued that a claim is false on the grounds that it is put forward by a particular person. It is argued that something about the person means that we should assume their claim is false.

Question 17

Ad hominem circumstantial

Answer 17

The arguers claim is assumed to be false because the circumstances are such that the person stands to gain from us believing their claim.

Question 18

Ad hominem abusive

Answer 18

The arguers claim is assumed to be false because of a negative trait about the person e.g they are cruel.

Question 19

Informal fallacy

Answer 19

May or may not be formally valid yet is fallacious because it has false premises or is ambiguous.

Question 20

Inductive argument

Answer 20

Makes claims about probability.

Question 21

Illegitimate appeals to authority fallacy

Answer 21

When someone accepts a claim because a person has accepted it as true even though they have no experience on the issue. E.g Johnny Depp selling aftershave.

Question 22

Formal fallacy

Answer 22

A common error in reasoning that is fallacious by virtue or having an invalid structure or form.

Question 23

Denying the antecedent

Answer 23

P1) if ‘p’ then ‘q’
P2) Not ‘p’
C) Therefore not ‘q’

Question 24

Deductive argument

Answer 24

Makes claims about certainty

Question 25

Argument

Answer 25

A collection of statements which aim to prove or refute a point with evidence.

Question 26

Conductive argument

Answer 26

An argument whose premises are convergent (the premises count separately to the conclusion)

Question 27

Standard form

Answer 27

A consistent way of organising and presenting arguments.

Question 28

Conformation bias

Answer 28

The tendency to notice or seek out information and evidence that supports your claim and ignore evidence that refutes it.

Question 29

Serial argument diagram

Answer 29

P1
P2
C

Question 30

Linked argument diagram

Answer 30

P1 + P2
C

Question 31

Convergent argument diagram

Answer 31

P1 P2
C

Question 32

Linked argument example

Answer 32

P1) Paris is in France
P2) France is in Europe
C) So Paris is in Europe

Question 33

Serial argument example

Answer 33

P1) You are allergic to most nuts
P2) You are probably allergic to walnuts
C) You should probably not eat this cake with walnuts in it

Question 34

Convergent argument example

Answer 34

P1) A life of crime is a poor career choice
P2) Sooner or later, most criminals get caught
C) Even if you were to get away with a crime, you would eventually come to despise yourself for it.

Question 35

Give an example of denying the antecedent fallacy.

Answer 35

P1) If she’s human then she has a brain.
P2) She is not human.
C) Therefore, she does not have a brain.

Question 36

Give an example of affirming the consequent fallacy.

Answer 36

P1) If he is a pilot then he has a job.
P2) He has a job.
C) Therefore, he is a pilot.

Question 37

What is a sound argument ?

Answer 37

A deductive argument with true premises and is valid.

Question 38

What is an unsound argument?

Answer 38

Has false premises or is invalid or both.