Logical Fallacies Quiz

Name______________________________________________ Date ________________________ Block _______

Each of the following is an example of a logical fallacy. Write the answer in the blank. False Cause, Red Herring, Bandwagon, Attack Ad Hominem, Hasty Generalization 1. _________________________ Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones drive very nice cars. Business professors must make a lot of money. 2. _________________________ Since the PG13 rating was introduced, young people see a lot more sex and violence in movies. The Motion Picture Association of America never should have introduced that rating. 3. _________________________ How can you take Dr. Simmons seriously when he drives a motor scooter to work? 4. _________________________ Ford is an American-made car. I owned a Ford, and it broke down all the time. A car that breaks down all the time is not very good. American-made cars are not very good. 5. _________________________ The Ford Taurus is the most popular selling car in its class. Shouldn't you get a Taurus? 6. _________________________ The President's budget proposal is absurd. After all, no real President would let himself be pushed around by his wife the way Clinton does. And if he can't run his own household right, then he can hardly run the country right. 7. _________________________ Girlfriend: "Honey, does this dress make me look fat?" Boyfriend: "Say, babe, your hair is really gorgeous! And those earrings are a knock-out!" 8. _________________________ As the average ACT of Drury students goes up, the percentage of students who join a Greek organization goes down. Smart kids don't "go Greek." 9. _________________________ (Conversation at 4:00 p.m. on a bright and sunny day) Father: If you want a Halloween make-up kit, why don't you ride your bicycle up to the store? Son: There's not enough time, I need you to help me pick it out, and besides, it's getting too dark to ride... 10. _________________________ "...if you ask [your children] which personal computer they're using, chances are they'll say an Apple II. It's the leading computer in education. And one of the most popular computers in the larger world. Nearly 3,000,000 Apple II's are helping people in virtually every field of human endeavor. 11. _________________________ "But officer, I don't deserve a ticket; everyone goes this speed. If I went any slower, I wouldn't be going with the stream of traffic." 12. _________________________ Jana has been to San Diego a couple of time, and the sky is always blue and the temperature ideal. The weather must be perfect in San Diego all the time. 13. _________________________ You say I shouldn't drink, but you haven't been sober for more than a year. 14. _________________________ The picture on Jim's old TV set goes out of focus. Jim goes over and strikes the TV soundly on the side and the picture comes back into focus. Jim tells his friend that hitting the TV fixed it. 15. _________________________ Jim comes home over an hour late. Sally says, "I was worried. Why are you late? Why didn't you call?" Jim replies, "Have you seen the weather lately?"