Fallacys and Validity

Question 1

Formal Fallacy

Answer 1

A fallacy pertaining to the structure of the argument.

Question 2

Informal Fallacy

Answer 2

A fallacy pertaining to the content of the argument.

Question 3

If I am in New York, then I am in the United States.
I am in the United States.
Therefore, I am in New York.

Answer 3

Affirming the Consequent

Question 4

If X, then Y
Y
Therefore, X

Answer 4

Affirming the Consequent

Question 5

If I am in New York, then I am in the United States.

I am not in New York.

Therefore, I am not in the United States.

Answer 5

Denying the antecedent

Question 6

If X, then Y
Not X
Therefore, not Y

Answer 6

Denying the antecedent

Question 7

Modus Ponens

Answer 7

If X, then Y
X
Therefore, Y

Question 8

Modus Tollens

Answer 8

If X, then Y
Not Y
Therefore, not X

Question 9

If I set a world speed record, then I will win the race. I won the race. So, I must have set a world speed record.

Answer 9

Affirming the consequent

Question 10

If the light is red, then you should stop. The light is not red. Therefore, you should not stop.

Answer 10

Denying the antecedent

Question 11

Antecedent

Answer 11

The ‘cause’ of the argument, or first proposition

The simple proposition that immediately follows the word “if”

Question 12

Consequent

Answer 12

The ‘because’ of the argument, or the second proposition

the simple proposition that immediately follows the word “then”

Question 13

Red Herring

Answer 13

Changing the subject to something irrelevant to the original topic

Question 14

What is an accurate characterization of “fallacy” as that term is used in logic?

Answer 14

A fallacy is a common mistake made in arguments or reasoning.

Question 15

If it is the hottest day of the year, then the ice will melt. The ice melted. Therefore, it must have been the hottest day of the year.

Answer 15

Affirming the consequent

Question 16

Jamie’s argument against the conspiracy theorist commits the straw figure fallacy. So, clearly Jamie is wrong, and the conspiracy is real.

Answer 16

Fallacy fallacy

Question 17

It must be true if she said it. She did not say it. Consequently, it must not be true.

Answer 17

Denying the antecedent

Question 18

Frida Kahlo is the greatest artist because no other artist is as good as her.

Answer 18

Begging the question. Because the argument is redundant.

Question 19

Arguments where the premises guarantee or necessitate the conclusion
— mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition

Answer 19

Deduction

Question 20

Arguments where the premises make the conclusion probable
— analogies, authority, causal inferences, scientific reasoning, extrapolations, etc.

Answer 20

Induction

Question 21

All rabbits have long ears. Bugs is a rabbit. Consequently, Bugs has long ears. Deductive or Inductive?

Answer 21

Deductive

Question 22

Because most tigers are from areas with hot climates, it is probable that the tiger you saw at the zoo was from an area with a hot climate. Deductive or Inductive?

Answer 22

Inductive

Question 23

argument structure where the truth of the premises would guarantee the truth of the conclusion

Answer 23

Valid

Question 24

What makes an argument/reasoning sound?

Answer 24

Being both valid in structure and true.

Question 25

Property of argument structure.

Answer 25

Validity

Question 26

Property of argument content.

Answer 26

Truth

Question 27

All pigs can fly.
Snowball is a pig.
Therefore, Snowball can fly.

Valid, Invalid, Sound, or Unsound

Answer 27

Valid. Not sound.

Question 28

All planets in our solar system orbit the Sun.
Mars is a planet in our solar system.
Therefore, Mars orbits the Sun.

Valid, Invalid, Sound, or Unsound.

Answer 28

Valid, Sound.

Question 29

All True Premises + Strong Inductive Support =

Answer 29

Cogent Argument

Question 30

Some arguments are such that the premises of the argument entail its conclusion, which means that if the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true.

Answer 30

Valid arguments.

Question 31

Everyone who lives in Los Angeles lives in California. Everyone who lives in California lives in the United States. Therefore, everyone who lives in Los Angeles lives in the United States.

Valid, Not Valid, Sound, or Unsound

Answer 31

Valid, sound.

Question 32

Strong or weak: I saw a black cat; therefore all cats are probably black.

Answer 32

Weak

Question 33

Strong or weak: I saw the sun rise in the east every day of my life, and everyone I know reports the same, and history books and ancient astronomers report the same, so the sun probably will rise in the east tomorrow.

Answer 33

Strong

Question 34

Smith inspected 990 jellybeans in the jar. Each of the beans Smith inspected is red. Therefore, all 1000 of the beans in the jar are red.

Strong, Deductive, Weak, or Valid

Answer 34

Strong

Question 35

Genetic Fallacy

Answer 35

A critique on the origin of the claim instead of the content of the claim.

Question 36

When someone misinterprets someone else’s argument or position. The opponent’s argument or position is characterized uncharitably so as to make it seem ridiculous or indefensible.

Answer 36

Straw Man

Question 37

Any kind of appeal to a factor, consideration, or reason that isn’t relevant to the argument at hand (but is used as a reason rather than as a mere distraction).

Answer 37

Irrelevant Appeals

Question 38

Any kind of appeal to a factor, consideration, or reason that isn’t relevant to the argument at hand.

Answer 38

Irrelevant Appeals

Question 39

A fallacy where the same word is being used in two different senses

Answer 39

Equivocation

Question 40

The logical fallacy of claiming that a statement must be true because there’s no evidence against it

Answer 40

Appeal to Ignorance

Question 41

One event is said to lead to some other (usually disastrous) event via a chain of intermediary events.

Answer 41

Slippery Slope

Question 42

If A, then eventually Z

Answer 42

Slippery Slope

Question 43

When someone already knows which conclusion they’d like to prove and then selects evidence which supports that conclusion.

Answer 43

Texas Sharpshooter

Question 44

Texas Sharpshooter

Answer 44

Using specific selected evidence that only supports your conclusion.

Question 45

Another term for the Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy

Answer 45

Cherry-picking

Question 46

X occurred before Y
Therefore: X caused Y.

Answer 46

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

Question 46

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

Answer 46

A fallacy claiming that just because something happened before something else, means it CAUSED the result.

Question 47

A certain individual was born just before astronauts landed on the moon. Therefore, astronauts were able to land on the moon because this individual was born. Name the fallacy.

Answer 47

Post Hoc (Ergo Propter Hoc)

Question 48

When one generalizes about a group of people or things or events, but one does so too quickly and without enough evidence or with too small of a sample from that group.

Answer 48

Hasty Generalization

Question 49

You are shopping and pick up two rotten apples. You assume all of the apples are rotten. What fallacy is this?

Answer 49

Hasty Generalization

Question 50

Either raising taxes on the wealthy will hurt the economy or it will help it.
Raising taxes on the wealthy won’t help the economy.
Therefore, raising taxes on the wealthy will hurt the economy.

Answer 50

false dilemma, false dichotomy, or black or white fallacy

Question 51

False Dilemma or Black and White Fallacy

Answer 51

Presents only two options or sides when there are many options or sides.

Question 52

Burden Shifting

Answer 52

When one decides that someone else must prove them wrong

Question 53

Person A: Ghosts exist
Person B: How do you know they exist?
Person A: How do you know they don’t exist?

Answer 53

Burden of Proof Fallacy