Chpt 7: Assessing Relevance

Question 1

Can an argument be sound if its premises are not relevant to its conclusions?

Answer 1

No

Question 2

Non sequitur

Answer 2

Traditional term to describe an irrelevant premise

Question 3

Appeal to pity

Answer 3

What you call it when you try to support a conclusion by exploiting a person’s feelings of pity

Question 4

Appeal to force

Answer 4

What you call it when you try to support a conclusion by threatening force

Question 5

Appeal to popularity

Answer 5

What you call it when you try to support a conclusion by pointing out how popular it is

This is bad (just because an idea is popular doesn’t mean it’s true)

Question 6

Appeal to authority

Answer 6

What you call it when you try to support a conclusion by claiming someone ‘authoritative’ believes it to be true

Question 7

Ad hominem

Answer 7

What you call it when you dispute an argument based on the (personal/irrelevant) qualities of the person who said it

Question 8

Tu Quoque???

Answer 8

What you call it when you dispute a claim by criticizing (something irrelevant) about the person who made it

Question 9

Straw Man

Answer 9

What you call it when you argue against a misrepresentation of a claim (rather than arguing against the actual claim)