Exercise 6.

1
Fallacy Identify and explain any fallacy in the following statements.
1. The problem of broken family started when girls were allowed to have college degrees,
during my time couples seldom separate because men work and woman stay at home.

Answer: False cause, there are many reasons for having a broken family, it is wrong to
blame it on women having education, there is no proof that having more education
means having broken relationships.

2. To the doctors who are complaining of lack of government support, the pandemic is not a
time to be worried of an unknown enemy; this is the time to show our patriotism and loyalty
to the state.

Answer: Red Herring. The argument is fallacious because instead of addressing the issue
of doctors due to lack of support from the government, the statement is diverting the issue
onto another topic. In this case, it is emphasizing the showing of patriotism and loyalty,
which is totally not related to the topic.

3. You hate corruption? Oh c’mon looks who’s talking!

Answer: Ad Hominem: Abusive. The argument is fallacious because it is a direct attack

against the person implying that he/she is a corrupt.

4. A computer is a machine use for computing.

Answer: Equivocation. The argument is fallacious because computer is not the only
machine that can be used for computing. Calculators can do the same function too.

5. This must be best book of 2020 everybody is reading it.

Answer: Appeal to the populace. The argument is fallacious because we can only consider
a book a best one if it undergone several critics or reviews from different authors and
experts. The statement concludes that this book is the best book of 2020 since everyone is
reading it. Thus, it arouses the feeling of multitude.

6. I just saw a policeman who beat a minor. I must say all me in uniform are violent and
abusive.

Answer: Hasty Generalization. The argument is fallacious because not all men in uniform
are violent and abusive.
7. Someone ask a politician why he barely speaks in the senate floor, his reply was, “less talk
less mistake.”

Answer: Fallacy of Accident. The argument is fallacious because the senator believes that
speaking less means less of committing mistake thus, he is playing safe.

8. Andrew is an activist he came from a family of activists.

Answer: Ad Hominem: Circumstantial. The argument is fallacious because it attacks the

personal background of a person. In this case, we cannot assume that Andrew is an activist
just because he grew up from a family of activist.

9. We should give the promotion to Pedro I heard he is the breadwinner in the family.

Answer: Appeal to emotion. The argument is fallacious because it uses the emotion of pity
to make decision. In this case, there is someone who is more deserving than Pedro.
Promotion should be based on employee’s performance.

10. You have to convert to our religion, judgment day is coming!

Answer: Appeal to force. The argument is fallacious because it is threatening someone

that judgment is coming so the person is forced to convert to a certain religion because of
that belief.

11. This guy does not understand what poverty is; he came from a rich family.

Answer: Ad Hominem: Circumstantial. The argument is fallacious because it attacks the

personal background of the person. The statement is belittling the understanding of the
person, who came from an elite family, about poverty.

12. Filipinos are spiritual, thus, the entire universe is spiritual.

Answer: Fallacy of Composition. The argument is fallacious because the attributes of the
parts is not necessarily the attribute of the whole. Hence, the entire universe is not
composed of all Filipinos, and not all Filipinos are spiritual.

13. This commissioner should not be fired; he is an honest man since no one can prove that he
is corrupt.

Answer: Argumentum as Ignorantiam. The argument is fallacious because it argues

about something that is false until it has not been proven true. In this case, being honest
does not prove that the commissioner is not corrupt. Thus, it obliges us to suspend
judgement of the commissioner.
 14. Ever since I bought this lucky charm, my business grew beyond compare.

Answer: False Cause. The argument is fallacious because of the superstition that lucky
charms is the reason of behind the business success. To be fact, the business grew up
because of hard work and perseverance and not because of some sort of lucky charms.

15. If you want to live a happy and blissful life don’t get married according to an article
published in a magazine.

Answer: Appeal to inappropriate authority. The argument is fallacious because the

magazine, which has no legitimate claim on this topic, is making an appeal that we should
not get married in order to have a happy and blissful life.

Exercise 6.2: Identify and explain any fallacy in the following statements.
1. Are you still wasting time with all that book-learning at the university?
Answer: Complex question. The argument is fallacious because it is asking a question in
such a way as to presuppose the truth of some conclusion that is buried in the question.
The question is already inferring that book-learning at the university is just a waste of time.

2. The Bible tells the truth because it’s God’s word. We know the Bible is God’s word because the
Bible says so and it tells the truth.
Answer: Begging the question. The argument is fallacious because it assumes that the
Bible is God’s words so it tells the truth.

3. You should vote for this candidate because she’s intelligent and has much experience in politics.
Answer: Argumentum ad igorantiam. The argument is fallacious because it created an
appeal which s not irrelevant on the issue. In this case, being intelligent and experienced
in politics does not constitute that she is the candidate that is worthy to be voted.

4. The Equal Rights Amendment was foolish because its feminist sponsors were nothing but bra-
less bubbleheads.
Answer: Ad Hominem: Abusive. The argument is fallacious because it is directly
attacking the feminist sponsors, which is the maker of the amendment.
5. No one accepts this theory anymore, so it must be wrong.
Answer: Argument from ignorance. The argument is fallacious because it assumes that
the theory is wrong since no one accept this anymore.

6. Either you favor a massive arms buildup, or you aren’t a patriotic American.
Answer: Appeal to Force. The argument is fallacious because it persuades someone to
favor in massive arms buildup through using of force.

7. The president’s veto was the right move. In these troubled times we need decisive leadership,
even in the face of opposition. We should all thank the president for his courageous move.
Answer: Ignoratio Elenchi. The argument is fallacious because the statement is missing
the point of the president’s veto, instead divert the attention into praising and thanking for
the decision.
8. Each member of this team is unbeatable, so this team must be unbeatable.
Answer: Fallacy of Composition. The argument is fallacious because the attributes of the
parts is not necessarily the attribute of the whole. It doesn’t mean that each member is
unbeatable, also mean that the team is unbeatable too.

9. My doctor told me to lose weight and give up smoking. But she’s an overweight smoker herself,
so I can safely ignore her advice.
Answer: Ad Hominem: Circumstantial. The argument is fallacious because it is attacking
the characteristic or lifestyle of a person and using this a basis to not follow her advice.

10. Belief in God is explained in terms of one’s need for a father figure; so it’s false.
Answer: False Cause. The argument is fallacious because it is assuming that one’s need
for a father figure is the reason behind to have belief in God.

11. There are scientific laws. Where there are laws there must be a lawgiver. Hence someone must
have set up the scientific laws to govern our universe, and this someone could only be God.
Answer: Fallacy of Equivocation. The argument is fallacious because the term “law” is
being defined in different contexts, thus creating an ambiguous conclusion that God is the
one who govern the universe.
12. The lawyer for the defense claims that there’s doubt that Smith committed the crime. But, I
ask, are you going to let this horrible crime go unpunished because of this? Look at the crime; see
how horrible it was! So you see clearly that the crime was horrible and that Smith should be
convicted.
Answer: Straw man. The argument is fallacious because it distracts the audience from the
real issue by presenting the lack of evidence and using it to convict Mr. Smith.

13. Free speech is for the common good, since unrestrained expression of opinion is in people’s
interest.
Answer: Begging the question. The argument is fallacious because it assumed that the
unrestricted expression of opinion is for the common good, which has no merit at all.
14. This is a shocking and stupid proposal. Its author must be either a dishonest bum or a complete
idiot.
Answer: Ad Hominem: Abusive. The argument is fallacious because it is directly attacking
the author by saying he/she is a bum or idiot instead of discussing why the proposal is said
to be stupid.

15. Aristotle said that heavy objects fall faster than light ones, so it must be true.
Answer: Appeal to inappropriate authority. The argument is fallacious because Galileo is
the one who concludes that heavy objects fall faster than light ones and not Aristotle.

16. Each of these dozen cookies (or drinks) by itself isn’t harmful; one little one won’t hurt! Hence
having these dozen cookies (or drinks) isn’t harmful.
Answer: Fallacy of composition. The argument is fallacious because it is implying that
each pieces of the dozen cookies (or drinks) isn’t harmful, therefore, having the dozen
cookies (or drinks) is not harmful too.

17. Before Barack Obama became the Democratic candidate for US president, he ran in a series of
primary elections. He noted that he played basketball before the Iowa primary, and then won the
vote, while he neglected to play before the New Hampshire primary, and then lost. He concluded
(in jest) “At that point I was certain that we had to play on every primary.”
Answer: False Cause. The argument is fallacious because Obama believes that the reason
why he won is because he played basketball instead of assuming that the real reason why
he won is because people trusted and voted him.
18. Only men are rational animals. No woman is a man. Therefore, no woman is a rational animal.
Answer: Fallacy of Equivocation. The argument is fallacious because the use of words
into two different contexts resulted into different and ambiguous interpretation.

19. I’m right, because you flunk if you disagree with me!
Answer: Appeal to force. The argument is fallacious because it is forcing someone to agree
with him even though it is against his will.

20. The discriminating backpacker prefers South Glacier tents.

Answer: Ad Hominem: Abusive. The argument is fallacious because it directly attacking
the backpaper just because he prefers South Glacier tents.