FALLACIES IN REASONING Name:________
YOU CANNOT USE ARGUMENTS LIKE THESE IN A DEBATE.
They are __ reasoning!
What is a Fallacy? Fallacy = A
statement or an argument based on false or invalid _________________.
#1 - AD HOMINEM ATTACK:
Ad hominem = “_”
Criticizing the -- rather than his/her arguments. (-- -- or character assassination)
What do you know about gun
ownership? You’re only 16 years old!!
Don’t vote for the negative
team. They have terrible -- in
math, so you can’t trust the statistics they come up with!
#2 – FALSE CAUSE:
“ergo propter hoc” therefore -- of
this
Assuming one thing caused
another. (False ---- relationship)
The 10th grade
attendance in 2012-2013 has improved. That’s because of the -- initiative.
Driving a Cadillac will help
your child do better in school. Studies
show that children whose parents drive Cadillacs have higher test scores than
those whose parents drive Fords.
#3 – HASTY GENERALIZATION:
-- to a
conclusion or making an assumption too quickly, based upon very-- evidence.
Both Julie and Carrie have
had car accidents this year. Women are
terrible drivers!
Our English teacher made us
ready read some poetry, and it was really boring. I know now that I will-- like poetry.
You can’t trust what you
read on the internet.
#4 - “EITHER/OR FALLACY:
Suggesting that only-- alternatives exist when there are ----solutions.
Either you develop good
computer skills, or you won’t be able to get a decent job.
If your nose is running, you
either have a cold or the --.
We have --choices: get iPads for all students or
stick with pencils and paper.
#5 – CIRCULAR REASONING/
BEGGING THE QUESTION:
Instead of using evidence,
the speaker simply -- -- in other language.
Students should not be allowed to park in lots now
reserved for -- because those lots should be for faculty only.
If such actions were not illegal, then they would
not be -- by the law.
Mike was the best candidate for president, because
he was totally -- than any of the others.
#6 – FALSE ANALOGY/ BAD COMPARISON:
Comparing two things that
really -- be compared because they are -- similar.
If we can land on the moon,
we should be able to find a cure for the common --.
A school is like a --. Balancing the budget is its first priority.
Children are like --
Just as nails must be hit in the head in order to make them work, so must
children be spanked.
#7 – SLIPPERY SLOPE:
Assuming a small first step
will lead to a terrible -- --.
If we let the government ban
assault rifles, pretty soon they will be taking -- our guns away from us.
If teens smoke pot,
eventually they will be addicted to-- drugs.
Which fallacy is it? Assignment – Put in
the number of the fallacy that matches the example.
___1.
You can’t believe any of the
evidence Susie brought up. Everyone
knows she’s a liar. She lies about
everything!
___2.
Driving over the speed limit is
illegal because speeding is against the law.
___3.
I saw 3 teachers wearing blue
jeans the other day. That’s all those
teachers ever wear now!
___4. We have only two choices. Either we attack North Korea now and destroy
their nuclear weapons, or we wait until they bomb us and millions of lives are
lost.
___5. People are like apples. You just
bump them a little bit and they get bruised and pretty soon they are rotten to
the core.
___6. Have you ever noticed that during football season, the grades of many
football players go down? This must mean
that playing football lowers your IQ.
___7.
If we let kids wear head bands
in school, the next thing they’ll want is to wear is hats, and then they’ll
want to wear really short shorts, and pretty soon they’ll show up in bathing
suits! We have to stop these head
bands NOW.
