Write what you believe is the logical fallacy behind each statement.
1. "America: love it or leave it."
2. "Since scientists cannot prove that global warming will occur, it probably won't."
3. "If we pass laws against fully automatic weapons, then it won't be long before we pass laws on all weapons, and then we will begin to restrict other rights, and finally we will end up living in a communist state. Thus, we should not ban fully automatic weapons."
4. "Government is like business, so just as business must be sensitive primarily to the bottom line, so also must government."
5. "A book is pornographic if and only if it contains pornography."
6. "We should not believe President Clinton when he claims not to have had sex with Monica Lewinsky. After all, he's a liar."
7. "Fred, the Australian, stole my wallet. Thus, all Australians are thieves."
8. "Satanist Quarterly reports that 87% of Americans are atheists. Therefore, there is no god."
9. "Immigration to California from Mexico increased. Soon after, the welfare rolls increased. Therefore, the increased immigration caused the increase in welfare rolls."
10. "Protesting against racial injustice only causes more of it to occur."
11. "The car accident would not have occurred if the parking meter had not gotten in the way."
12. "If you get hit by a car when you are six then you will die young. But you were not hit by a car when you were six. Thus you will not die young."
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:The point of an argument is to give reasons in support of some conclusion. An argument commits a fallacy when the reasons offered do not, in fact, support the conclusion.
Each fallacy is described in the following format:
Name: this is the generally accepted name of the fallacy.
Definition: the fallacy is defined.
Examples: examples of the fallacy are given.
Proof: the steps needed to prove that the fallacy is committed.
A. Fallacies of Distraction
Each of these fallacies is characterized by the illegitimate use of a logical operator (e.g., "or" "and") in order to distract the reader from the apparent falsity of a certain proposition.
1. False Dilemma
Definition: A limited number of options (usually two) is given, while in reality there are more options. A false dilemma is an illegitimate use of the "or" operator.
Examples:
(i) Either you're for me or against me.
(ii) America: love it or leave it.
(iii) Either support Meech Lake or Quebec will separate.
Proof: Identify the options given and show (with an example) that there is an additional option. (Cedarblom and Paulsen: 136)
2. Argument From Ignorance (argumentum ad ignorantiam)
Definition: Arguments of this form assume that since something has not been proven false, it is therefore true. Conversely, such an argument may assume that since something has not been proven true, it is therefore false. (This is a special case of a false dilemma, since it assumes that all propositions must ether be known to be true or known to be false.)
As Davis writes, "Lack of proof is not proof." (p. 59)