Term
|
Definition
| Professor Pearson's arguments in favor of the theory of evolution should be discounted. Pearson is a cocaine-snorting sex pervert and, according to some reports, a member of the Communist party. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to the People (Indirect) |
|
Definition
| Of course you should eat Wheaties. Wheaties is the breakfast of champions, you know. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to the People (Direct) |
|
Definition
| You should read Irving Stone's latest novel right away. It's sold over a million copies, and practically everyone in the Manhattan cocktail circuit is talking about it. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Professor Andrews, surely I deserve a B in logic. I know that I have gotten Fs on all the tests, but if you give me an F for my final grade, I will lose my scholarship. That will force me to drop out of school, and my poor, aged parents, who yearn to see me graduate, will be grief stricken for the rest of their lives. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Surely you welcome the opportunity to join our protective organization. Think of all the money you will lose from broken windows, overturned trucks, and damaged merchandise in the event of your not joining. |
|
|
Term
| Ad Hominem Circumstantial |
|
Definition
| In his History of the American Civil War, Jeffry Noland argues that the war had little to do with slavery. However, as a historian from Alabama, Noland could not possibly present an accurate account. Therefore, his arguments should be discounted. |
|
|
Term
Ad Hominem
tu quoque
"you too" |
|
Definition
| Your argument that I should stop stealing candy from the corner store is no good. You told me yourself just a week ago that you, too, stole candy when you were a kid. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Whoever thrusts a knife into another person should be arrested. But surgeons do precisely this when operating. Therefore, surgeons should be arrested. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Ellen Quinn has argued that logic is not the most important thing in life. Apparently Ellen advocates irrationality. It has taken two million years for the human race to achieve the position that it has, and Ellen would throw the whole thing into the garbage. What utter nonsense! |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Mr. Rhodes is suffering from amnesia and has no recollection whatever of the events of the past two weeks. We can only conclude that he did not commit the crime of murdering his wife a week ago, as he has been accused of doing. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This administration is not anti-German, as it has been alleged. Germany is a great country. It has contributed immensely to the world's artistic treasury. Goethe and Schiller made magnificent contributions to literature, and Bach, Beethoven, Wagner, and Brahms did the same in music. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to Unqualified Authority |
|
Definition
| Televangelist Jerry Falwell said that God's anger with feminism led to the destruction of the World Trade Center. Given Falwell's closeness to God, we have no alternative than to blame the feminists for this atrocity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| No one has ever proved that the human fetus is not a person with rights. Therefore, abortion is morally wrong. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The idea that black people in this country live in poverty is ridiculous. Look at Bill Cosby. He's a millionaire. And so are Denzel Washington and Oprah Winfrey. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| There are more churches in New York City than in any other city in the nation, and more crimes are committed in New York City than anywhere else. So, if we are to eliminate crime, we must abolish the churches. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Conclusion depends on unlikely chain reaction. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| When a car breaks down so often that repairs become pointless, the car is thrown on the junk heap. Similarly, when a person becomes old and diseased, he or she should be mercifully put to death. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| People who lack humility have no sense of beauty, because everyone who has a sense of beauty also has humility. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Paul, it was great to see you at the party the other night. Everyone there was doing crack. Incidentally, how long have you been dealing that stuff? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Either you marry me right now or I'll be forced to leave you and never speak to you again. I'm sure you wouldn't want me to do that. Therefore, you'll marry me right now. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An atomic bomb causes more damage than a conventional bomb. Therefore, during World War II more damage was caused by atomic bombs than by conventional bombs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Motives and desires exert forces on people, causing them to choose one thing over another. But force is a physical quantity, governed by the laws of physics. Therefore, human choices are governed by the laws of physics. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Mr. Wilson said that on July 4 he went out on the veranda and watched the fireworks go up in his pajamas. We conclude that Mr. Wilson must have had an exciting evening. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The twenty-story Carson Building is constructed of concrete blocks. Each and every concrete block in the structure can withstand an earthquake of 9.5 on the Richter scale. Therefore, the building can withstand an earthquake of 9.5 on the Richter scale. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| California condors are rapidly disappearing. This bird is a California condor. Therefore, this bird should disappear any minute now. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Arguer threatens reader/listener. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Arguer elicits pity from reader/listener. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to the People (Direct) |
|
Definition
| Arguer arouses mob mentality. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to the people (Indirect) |
|
Definition
| Arguer appeals to reader/ listener's desire for security, love, respect, etc. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Arguer verbally abuses other arguer. |
|
|
Term
| Ad hominem Circumstantial |
|
Definition
| Arguer presents other arguer as predisposed to argue this way. |
|
|
Term
Ad Hominem
tu quoque
"you too" |
|
Definition
| Arguer presents other arguer as hypocrite. Saying one thing and doing another |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| General rule is applied to a specific case it was not intended to cover. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Arguer distorts opponent's argument and then attacks the distorted argument. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Arguer draws conclusion different from that supported by premises. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Arguer leads reader/listener off track. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to Unqualified Authority |
|
Definition
| Arguer cites untrustworthy authority. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Premises report that nothing is known or proved, and then a conclusion is drawn. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Conclusion is drawn from an atypical sample. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Conclusion depends on nonexistent or minor causal connection. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Conclusion depends on unlikely chain reaction. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Conclusion depends on defective analogy |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Multiple questions are concealed in a single question. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| "Either … or …" statement hides additional alternatives. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Arguer creates the illusion that inadequate premises are adequate by leaving out a key premise, by restating the conclusion as a premise, or by reasoning in a circle. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Attribute is wrongly transferred from whole to parts. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Attribute is wrongly transferred from parts to whole. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Conclusion depends on the wrong interpretation of a syntactically ambiguous statement. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Conclusion depends on a shift in meaning of a word or phrase. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Arguer ignores important evidence that requires a different conclusion |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Humanitarian groups have argued in favor of housing for the poor. Apparently what they want is another high-density project. Unfortunately, these projects have been tried in the past and have failed. In no time they turn into ghettos with astronomical rates of crime and delinquency. Chicago's Cabrini-Green is a prime example. Clearly, these humanitarian arguments are not what they seem. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Each and every brick in the completely brick-faced Wainright Building has a reddish brown color. Therefore, the Wainright Building has a reddish brown color. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| If someone rents a piece of land and plants crops on it, the landlord is never permitted to come and take those crops for himself when harvest time arrives. Similarly, if couples enlist the services of a surrogate mother to provide them with a baby, the mother should never be allowed to welch on the deal and keep the baby for herself once it is born. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| White sheep eat more than black sheep (because there are more of them). Therefore, this white sheep eats more than that black sheep. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Either we have prayer in our public schools or the moral fabric of society will disintegrate. The choice should be obvious. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Molecules are in constant random motion. The Statue of Liberty is composed of molecules. Therefore, the Statue of Liberty is in constant random motion. |
|
|
Term
| Ad Hominem Circumstantial |
|
Definition
| Senator Kennedy's arguments in favor of health care for the poor and aged should be ignored. Kennedy is a do-gooder who supports this kind of legislation only to get his name in the newspapers. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to Unqualified Authority |
|
Definition
| Duane Richards, CEO of the Western Fuels Association, an organization that supplies coal to electric utilities, says that there is no evidence that burning fossil fuels causes global warming. In view of Mr. Richards's wealth of expertise in the area of fossil fuels, we must conclude that what he says about global warming is true. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Terrorists from the Middle East have crossed our borders and traveled through the country at will. Obviously the Immigration Service has not been doing its job. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Every member of the Delta Club is over 70 years old. Therefore, the Delta Club must be over 70 years old. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A crust of bread is better than nothing. Nothing is better than true love. Therefore, a crust of bread is better than true love. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Of course abortion is permissible. After all, a woman has a right to do as she pleases with her own body. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Emeralds are seldom found in this country, so you should be careful not to misplace your emerald ring. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The author warns about numerous computational errors in his accounting text. Therefore, he must have written it very carelessly. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Sylvia, I saw you shopping for wine the other day. Incidentally, are you still drinking excessively? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Picasso is the greatest artist of the twentieth century. We know that this is so because art critics have described him in these terms. These art critics are correct in their assessment because they have a more keenly developed sense of appreciation than the average person. This is true because it takes a more keenly developed sense of appreciation to realize that Picasso is the greatest artist of the twentieth century. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Switzerland is 48 percent Protestant. Heidi Gilsing is a Swiss. Therefore, Heidi Gilsing is 48 percent Protestant. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Either Meg Ryan or Britney Spears is a popular singer. Meg Ryan is not a popular singer. Therefore, Britney Spears is a popular singer. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| George said that he was interviewing for a job drilling oil wells in the supervisor's office. We can only conclude that the supervisor must have an awfully dirty office. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Each and every cell in this carrot is 90 percent water. Therefore, the entire carrot is 90 percent water. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| All men are mortal. Therefore, someday man will disappear from the earth. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Johnson is employed by the General Services Administration, and everyone knows that the GSA is the most inefficient branch of the government. Therefore, Johnson must be an inefficient worker. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Alex, I heard your testimony in court earlier today. Tell me, why did you lie on the witness stand? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| If Thomas gives Marie a ring, then Thomas and Marie will be engaged. Thomas did give Marie a ring. In fact, he phoned her just the other night. Therefore, Thomas and Marie are engaged. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Butane is combustible. Therefore, it burns. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Water will quench one's thirst. Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen. Therefore, hydrogen and oxygen will quench one's thirst. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Why is it so difficult for you to reach a decision? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| James said that he saw a picture of a beautiful girl stashed in Stephen's locker. We can only conclude that Stephen has broken the rules, because girls are not allowed in the locker room. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An athlete is a human being. Therefore, a good athlete is a good human being. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Every sentence in this paragraph is well written. Therefore, the paragraph is well written. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Either we require forced sterilization of Third World peoples or the world population will explode and all of us will die. We certainly don't want to die, so we must require forced sterilization. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Some of the parents in our school district have asked that we provide bilingual education in Spanish. This request will have to be denied. If we provide this service, then someone will ask for bilingual education in Greek. Then it will be German, French, and Hungarian. Polish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean will follow close behind. We certainly can't accommodate all of them |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to Unqualified Authority |
|
Definition
| Radio entertainer Rush Limbaugh claims there is not a shred of evidence to prove that nicotine is addictive or that cigarettes cause emphysema, lung cancer, or any other disease. Given Limbaugh's apparent expertise in medical science, we can only conclude that what he says about nicotine and cigarettes is true. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| On Monday I drank ten rum and Cokes, and the next morning I woke up with a headache. On Wednesday I drank eight gin and Cokes, and the next morning I woke up with a headache. On Friday I drank nine bourbon and Cokes, and the next morning I woke up with a headache. Obviously, to prevent further headaches I must give up Coke. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| No one, on encountering a watch lying on a forest trail, would expect that it had simply appeared there without having been made by someone. For the same reason, no one should expect that the universe simply appeared without having been made by some being |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Freedom of speech is guaranteed by the First Amendment. Therefore, your friend was acting within his rights when he shouted "Fire! Fire!" in that crowded theater, even though it was only a joke. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Nobody has ever proved that immoral behavior by elected officials erodes public morality. Therefore, we must conclude that such behavior does not erode public morality |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| ** Angela complains that the problems on the algebra test were too hard. But have you ever seen the way Angela flirts with that good-looking quarterback on the football team? She's constantly batting those long, black eyelashes at him, and her tight-fitting sweaters leave nothing to the imagination. Angela should pay more attention to her studies. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| India is suffering a serious drought, thousands of children are dying of starvation in their mothers' arms, and homeless beggars line the streets of the major cities. Surely we must give these poor downtrodden people the chance of bettering their condition in America, the land of wealth and opportunity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Mr. Flemming's arguments against the rent control initiative on the September ballot should be taken with a grain of salt. As a landlord he would naturally be expected to oppose the initiative |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| To prevent dangerous weapons from being carried aboard airliners, those seeking to board must pass through a magnetometer and submit to a possible pat-down search. Therefore, to prevent alcohol and drugs from being carried into rock concerts, those entering should submit to similar search procedures |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Dear Internal Revenue Service: I received a notice that my taxes are being audited for last year. But you have no right to do this. The deadline for filing a return was April 15, and I filed my tax return on April 12—a full three days before the deadline. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to Unqualified Authority |
|
Definition
| James Dobson, director of Focus on the Family, says that men have the divine obligation to lead their families, and women have the divine obligation to submit to their husband's authority. Given Dobson's apparent ability to receive messages from God, we must conclude that this statement is absolutely true. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Certainly Miss Malone will be a capable and efficient manager. She has a great figure, a gorgeous face, and tremendous poise and she dresses very fashionably. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Media host Howard Stern claims that leaders of the religious right are nothing but a pack of racketeers bent on destroying every vestige of free speech, and he gives numerous reasons to support this claim. But Stern is just a vulgar, smut-mouthed freak who will say anything for shock value. Nobody should listen to this nonsense. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Environmentalists accuse us of blocking the plan to convert Antarctica into a world park. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Antarctica is a huge continent teeming with life. It is the home of millions of penguins, seals, sea birds, and sea lions. Also, great schools of finfish and whales inhabit its coastal waters. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Extensive laboratory tests have failed to prove any deleterious side effects of the new painkiller lexaprine. We conclude that lexaprine is safe for human consumption. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| When water is poured on the top of a pile of rocks, it always trickles down to the rocks on the bottom. Similarly, when rich people make lots of money, we can expect this money to trickle down to the poor. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to the People (Indirect) |
|
Definition
| Practically everyone downloads music free of charge from the Internet these days. Therefore, you should have no qualms about doing this yourself. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Johnny, of course I deserve the use of your bicycle for the afternoon. After all, I'm sure you wouldn't want your mother to find out that you played hooky today. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Emily has bought over 100 tickets on the weekly state lottery, and she has never won anything. Therefore, the likelihood increases every week that she will win something if she continues to buy tickets. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| What the farmer sows in the spring he reaps in the fall. In the spring he sows $8-per-bushel soybeans. Therefore, in the fall he will reap $8-per-bushel soybeans. |
|
|
Term
| Ad Hominem Circumstantial |
|
Definition
| House speaker Nancy Pelosi has argued strongly against oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. But what would you expect? She represents the city of San Francisco, which is loaded with environmentalists. If she didn't take this position, she would be run out of office. Thus, her arguments on this issue really have no merit. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il has promised not to let any of his nuclear weapons fall into the hands of terrorists. But Kim is erratic, dishonest, corrupt, and possibly even insane. Therefore, we should not trust his promises for a minute. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Tagging by graffiti artists has become a terrible problem in recent years. Obviously our schools are stifling the creative spirit of these young people. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| On our first date, George had his hands all over me, and I found it nearly impossible to keep him in his place. A week ago Tom gave me that stupid line about how, in order to prove my love, I had to spend the night with him. Men are all alike. All any of them want is sex. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Environmentalists are continually harping about the dangers of nuclear power. Unfortunately, electricity is dangerous no matter where it comes from. Every year hundreds of people are electrocuted by accident. Since most of these accidents are caused by carelessness, they could be avoided if people would just exercise greater caution. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| There is a good deal of talk these days about the need to eliminate pesticides from our fruits and vegetables. But many of these foods are essential to our health. Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, broccoli is rich in iron, and oranges and grapefruit have lots of vitamin C. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Professor Conway complains of inadequate parking on our campus. But did you know that last year Conway carried on a torrid love affair with a member of the English Department? The two used to meet every day for clandestine sex in the copier room. Apparently they didn't realize how much you can see through that fogged glass window. Even the students got an eyeful. Enough said about Conway. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Crimes of theft and robbery have been increasing at an alarming rate lately. The conclusion is obvious: We must reinstate the death penalty immediately. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Abuse of the welfare system is rampant nowadays. Our only alternative is to abolish the system altogether. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Mr. Goldberg has argued against prayer in the public schools. Obviously Mr. Goldberg advocates atheism. But atheism is what they used to have in Russia. Atheism leads to the suppression of all religions and the replacement of God by an omnipotent state. Is that what we want for this country? I hardly think so. Clearly Mr. Goldberg's argument is nonsense. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The garment workers have signed a petition arguing for better ventilation on the work premises. Unfortunately, air-conditioning is expensive. Air ducts would have to be run throughout the factory, and a massive heat exchange unit installed on the roof. Also, the cost of operating such a system during the summer would be astronomical. In view of these considerations the petition must be rejected. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The student status committee has presented us with an argument favoring alcohol privileges on campus. What do the students want? Is it their intention to stay boozed up from the day they enter as freshmen until the day they graduate? Do they expect us to open a bar for them? Or maybe a chain of bars all over campus? Such a proposal is ridiculous! |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Property should be returned to its rightful owner. That drunken sailor who is starting a fight with his opponents at the pool table lent you his .45-caliber pistol, and now he wants it back. Therefore, you should return it to him now. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Before he died, poet Allen Ginsberg argued in favor of legalizing pornography. But Ginsberg's arguments are nothing but trash. Ginsberg was a marijuana-smoking homosexual and a thoroughgoing advocate of the drug culture. |
|
|
Term
| Ad Hominem Circumstantial |
|
Definition
| The Dalai Lama argues that China has no business in Tibet and that the West should do something about it. But the Dalai Lama just wants the Chinese to leave so he can return as leader. Naturally he argues this way. Therefore, we should reject his arguments. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| International terrorist Osama bin Laden planned the destruction of the World Trade Center, killing thousands of innocent people, and he supports terrorist causes all over the world. Bin Laden is therefore a wicked and irresponsible person. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Mickey has testified that he saw Freddy set fire to the building. But Mickey was recently convicted on ten counts of perjury, and he hates Freddy with a passion and would love to see him sent to jail. Therefore, you should not believe Mickey's testimony. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to the People (Indirect) |
|
Definition
| The Few, the Proud, the Marines. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Secretary to boss: I deserve a raise in salary for the coming year. After all, you know how friendly I am with your wife, and I'm sure you wouldn't want her to find out what's been going on between you and that sexpot client of yours. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to Unqualified Authority |
|
Definition
| James W. Johnston, Chairman of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, testified before Congress that tobacco is not an addictive substance and that smoking cigarettes does not produce any addiction. Therefore, we should believe him and conclude that smoking does not in fact lead to any addiction. |
|
|
Term
| Appeal to Unqualified Authority |
|
Definition
| Dr. Bradshaw, our family physician, has stated that the creation of muonic atoms of deuterium and tritium hold the key to producing a sustained nuclear fusion reaction at room temperature. In view of Dr. Bradshaw's expertise as a physician, we must conclude that this is indeed true. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| People have been trying for centuries to disprove the claims of astrology, and no one has ever succeeded. Therefore, we must conclude that the claims of astrology are true. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| After only one year the alternator went out in Mr. O'Grady's new Chevrolet. Mrs. Dodson's Oldsmobile developed a transmission problem after six months. The obvious conclusion is that cars made by General Motors are just a pile of junk these days. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Ten Arab fundamentalists hijacked planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York City. The message is clear: Arabs are nothing but a pack of religious fanatics prone to violence. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| During the past two months, every time that the cheerleaders have worn blue ribbons in their hair, the basketball team has been defeated. Therefore, to prevent defeats in the future, the cheerleaders should get rid of those blue ribbons. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Successful business executives are paid salaries in excess of $100,000. Therefore, the best way to ensure that Ferguson will become a successful executive is to raise his salary to at least $100,000. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| There are more laws on the books today than ever before, and more crimes are being committed than ever before. Therefore, to reduce crime we must eliminate the laws. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Attempts to outlaw pornography threaten basic civil rights and should be summarily abandoned. If pornography is outlawed, censorship of newspapers and news magazines is only a short step away. After that there will be censorship of textbooks, political speeches, and the content of lectures delivered by university professors. Complete mind control by the central government will be the inevitable result. |
|
|
