Identifying Assumptions, Biases, and Fallacious Thinking M4

Question 1

Activated Ignorance

Answer 1

False information that is mistakenly believed to be true and acted upon.

Question 2

Activated Knowledge

Answer 2

Truthful information that is employed to pursue more knowledge and/or is acted upon.

Question 3

Ad hominem fallacy

Answer 3

Dismissing an argument by attacking the person who offers it rather than by refuting its reasoning.

Question 4

Appeal to authority fallacy

Answer 4

To justify support for a position by citing an esteemed or well-known figure who supports it.

Question 5

Appeal to experience fallacy

Answer 5

Claiming to speak with the “voice of experience” in support of an argument (even when that experience may not be relevant).

Question 6

Appeal to fear fallacy

Answer 6

Citing a threat or possibility of a frightening outcome as the reason for supporting an argument.

Question 7

Appeal to popularity/ popular passions fallacy

Answer 7

Citing majority sentiment or popular opinion as the reason for supporting a claim.

Question 8

Attacking evidence fallacy

Answer 8

Seeking to falsely discredit the underlying evidence for an argument and thereby questioning its validity.

Question 9

Begging the question

Answer 9

Asserting a conclusion that is assumed in the reasoning.

Question 10

Bias

Answer 10

A partiality or prejudice that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation.

Question 11

Denying inconsistencies fallacy

Answer 11

Refusing to admit contradictions or inconsistencies when making an argument or defending a position.

Question 12

Either-or fallacy

Answer 12

Assuming only two alternatives when, in reality, there are more than two.

Question 13

Evading questions fallacy

Answer 13

Avoiding direct and truthful answers to difficult questions through diversionary tactics, vagueness, or deliberately confusing or complex responses.

Question 14

Fallacy

Answer 14

An error in reasoning.

Question 15

Faulty analogy

Answer 15

Drawing an invalid comparison between things for the purpose of either supporting or refuting some position.

Question 16

Hard-cruel-world argument

Answer 16

Justifying illegal or unethical practices by arguing that they are necessary to confront a greater evil or threat.

Question 17

Hasty generalization

Answer 17

Inferring a general proposition about something based on too small a sample or an unrepresentative sample.

Question 18

Inert Information

Answer 18

Memorized information that is not fully understood.

Question 19

Red herring fallacy

Answer 19

Introducing an irrelevant point or topic to divert attention from the issue at hand.

Question 20

Search for perfect solution fallacy

Answer 20

Asserting that a solution (or argument) is not worth adopting because it does not fix the problem completely.

Question 21

Slippery slope fallacy

Answer 21

To suggest that a step or action, once taken, will lead inevitably to similar steps or actions with presumably undesirable consequences.

Question 22

Straw man fallacy

Answer 22

Distorting or exaggerating an opponent’s argument so that it might be more easily attacked.

Question 23

Thrown-in statistics fallacy

Answer 23

The use of irrelevant, misleading, or questionable statistics to support an argument or defend a position.

Question 24

Treating abstracts as reality fallacy

Answer 24

Citing abstract concepts (freedom, justice, science) to support an argument or to call for action.

Question 25

Two wrongs make a right fallacy

Answer 25

Defending or justifying our wrong position or conduct by pointing to a similar wrong done by someone else.