Informal Fallacy Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is an informal fallacy?
An error in reasoning that does not involve the logical structure of the argument.
True or False: Informal fallacies can be found in both written and spoken arguments.
True
Fill in the blank: An informal fallacy often relies on ________ rather than evidence.
emotional appeal
Emotional apple
What is an example of an ad hominem fallacy?
Attacking the character of a person instead of addressing their argument.
Which fallacy involves appealing to the popularity of a claim as a reason for accepting it?
Bandwagon fallacy
True or False: The straw man fallacy involves accurately representing an opponent’s argument.
False
What does the slippery slope fallacy suggest?
That a relatively small first step will inevitably lead to a chain of related events culminating in a significant impact.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following is NOT an informal fallacy? A) Hasty Generalization B) Red Herring C) Modus Ponens
C) Modus Ponens
What is the definition of a false dilemma?
Presenting two options as the only possibilities when more options exist.
Fill in the blank: The ________ fallacy occurs when someone shifts the focus of the argument to a different issue.
red herring
True or False: The appeal to authority fallacy occurs when the authority cited is not an expert in the relevant field.
True
What is a common characteristic of informal fallacies?
They often exploit emotional responses rather than logical reasoning.
Teenagers
What type of fallacy is committed when one assumes that what is true for a part is also true for the whole?
Fallacy of composition
Maxo
Multiple Choice: Which fallacy involves misrepresenting someone’s argument to make it easier to attack? A) Ad Hominem B) Straw Man C) Appeal to Emotion
B) Straw Man
Fill in the blank: The ________ fallacy occurs when a conclusion is drawn from insufficient evidence.
hasty generalization
True or False: The Tu Quoque fallacy is also known as the appeal to hypocrisy.
True
What does the term ‘red herring’ refer to in argumentation?
A distraction from the main issue by introducing an irrelevant topic.
Which fallacy occurs when a conclusion is based on an unrepresentative sample?
Hasty generalization
Fill in the blank: The ________ fallacy occurs when a conclusion is drawn based on the emotional response of a person rather than factual evidence.
appeal to emotion
True or False: The fallacy of equivocation involves using ambiguous language to mislead or misrepresent the truth.
True
What type of fallacy is present when someone argues that a claim must be true because it has not been proven false?
Argument from ignorance
Multiple Choice: Which of the following is an example of a causal fallacy? A) Post hoc B) Genetic C) Ambiguity
A) Post hoc
What is the primary difference between formal and informal fallacies?
Formal fallacies are based on the structure of the argument, while informal fallacies are based on content or context.
Fill in the blank: A ________ fallacy occurs when someone argues that one event caused another simply because it occurred earlier.
post hoc
