Formal Fallacy’s Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is a formal fallacy?
A formal fallacy is an error in the structure or form of an argument, rendering it invalid.
True or False: A formal fallacy can occur even if the premises are true.
True
Fill in the blank: A common example of a formal fallacy is the ________ fallacy.
affirming the consequent
Which of the following is a type of formal fallacy? (a) Ad Hominem (b) Straw Man (c) Non Sequitur
c) Non Sequitur
What does the term ‘non sequitur’ mean?
It means ‘it does not follow’, indicating that the conclusion does not logically follow from the premises.
True or False: Formal fallacies can be identified by examining the argument’s content.
False
What is the fallacy of denying the antecedent?
It is a formal fallacy that occurs when one assumes that if the antecedent is false, then the consequent must also be false.
Which fallacy is committed when a conclusion is drawn from an invalid syllogism?
It is a formal fallacy.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following is NOT a formal fallacy? (a) Begging the Question (b) Hasty Generalization (c) Fallacy of the Undistributed Middle
b) Hasty Generalization
What is the structure of a valid syllogism?
A valid syllogism has a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion that logically follows from the premises.
True or False: The fallacy of equivocation involves using a word in different senses in an argument.
True
Give an example of a formal fallacy.
Affirming the consequent: If it rains, the ground is wet. The ground is wet, therefore it rained.
What type of fallacy is ‘affirming the consequent’?
It is a formal fallacy.
Fill in the blank: In formal logic, a ________ is a pattern of reasoning that is valid.
syllogism
What is the fallacy of the undistributed middle?
It occurs when the middle term in a syllogism is not distributed in at least one of the premises.
True or False: Formal fallacies can be corrected by providing true premises.
False
Which of the following is a characteristic of formal fallacies? (a) They depend on the content of the argument (b) They are based on the argument’s structure (c) They can be resolved with additional information
b) They are based on the argument’s structure
What is the difference between formal and informal fallacies?
Formal fallacies are due to the argument’s structure, while informal fallacies arise from content or context.
Fill in the blank: The fallacy of ________ occurs when an argument relies on the ambiguity of a word.
equivocation
What is a syllogism?
A syllogism is a logical argument that applies deductive reasoning to arrive at a conclusion based on two premises.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following statements is an example of a formal fallacy? (a) Everyone is entitled to their opinion. (b) If A is true, then B is true. A is not true, therefore B is not true. (c) The sky is blue because I like the color blue.
b) If A is true, then B is true. A is not true, therefore B is not true.
What is the fallacy of composition?
It occurs when one assumes that what is true for the parts is also true for the whole.
True or False: Formal fallacies can be present in both deductive and inductive arguments.
False
What is a counterexample in the context of formal fallacies?
A counterexample is an example that shows an argument’s form is invalid.
