Fallacies

Question 1

Ad hominem

Answer 1

verbal attack on a person rather than his argument

Question 2

Fallacies of ambiguity

Answer 2

Arguments that confuse the real issue with multiple, vague, or otherwise unclear meanings

Question 3

Equivocation

Answer 3

Changing the definition of a term in the middle of an argument

Question 4

Fallacy of Accent

Answer 4

Alters the meaning of a statement through changed emphasis

Question 5

Fallacy of Amphiboly

Answer 5

A vagueness of grammar that disguises or alters meaning

Question 6

Hasty Generalizations

Answer 6

Makes a generalization about a class of things based on too few examples.

Question 7

Cliched Thinking

Answer 7

Occurs when the speaker attempts to apply a general rule (proverb/saying) to every situation. Results in ridiculous or trite reasoning.

Question 8

Illegitimate Appeal to Authority

Answer 8

Illegitimate appeal to an individual who is biased, not named or not an expert in that field

Question 9

Bandwagon

Answer 9

Argues that everyone is doing something or believes something, so you should too

Question 10

Fallacy of False Analogy

Answer 10

When two things being compared are too dissimilar

Question 11

Appeal to Moderation

Answer 11

Assumes that the correct answer is always a “middle ground” between two extremes

Question 12

Snob Appeal

Answer 12

Appeals to a sense of elitism

Question 13

Slippery Slope

Answer 13

Assumes that one step in a given direction will lead much further down that path without an argument being given for why one thing leads to another.

Question 14

Appeal to Pity

Answer 14

Trying to convince an argument is valid by making the audience feel sorry for him or for others

Question 15

Straw Man

Answer 15

Distorts an opponent’s argument to ridiculous extremes to make it easier to defeat or deny

Question 16

False Cause

Answer 16

Speaker uses a weak causal connection as the basis of an argument

Question 17

Vagueness

Answer 17

A word or term lacks precision because of overuse or because of its wide range of meaning

Question 18

Distinction Without Difference

Answer 18

A speaker claims a difference between two examples when no difference actually exists