Identifying Logical Fallacies Flashcards
6 cards from real Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Identifying Logical Fallacies flashcards as text
A city council member proposes a new recycling initiative. An opponent responds, "We shouldn't listen to this proposal. The council member was fined last year for a zoning violation on their own property, so how can they be trusted to make good decisions for the city?"
Answer: Ad Hominem
The opponent commits an Ad Hominem fallacy by attacking the character and past actions of the council member instead of addressing the merits or flaws of the recycling proposal itself.
Which of the following statements best exemplifies a "False Dilemma" fallacy?
Answer: "If we don't approve this new security software immediately, our company will inevitably suffer a catastrophic data breach."
This statement presents only two extreme outcomes (approve the software or face catastrophe) and ignores other possibilities, such as implementing alternative security measures, phasing in the software, or the possibility that a breach is not inevitable. This is a classic "either/or" fallacy.
A manager states, "Two weeks ago, we started providing free coffee in the breakroom. This week, productivity is up by 15%. The free coffee is clearly boosting our team's performance." The manager's conclusion is most vulnerable to criticism because it commits which logical fallacy?
Answer: Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
The manager commits the Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc (after this, therefore because of this) fallacy by assuming that because the productivity increase happened after the free coffee was introduced, the coffee must be the cause. This conclusion ignores other potential factors that could have influenced productivity.
A project manager suggests, "I think we should allocate more time for quality assurance testing in our next development cycle." A colleague responds, "So you're saying we should stop all new development and just test things forever? That's completely impractical." The colleague's response is an example of which fallacy?
Answer: Straw Man
The colleague employs a Straw Man fallacy by misrepresenting the project manager's modest suggestion ("allocate more time") and exaggerating it into an extreme and indefensible position ("stop all new development and test forever") to make it easier to attack.
During a debate about allowing employees to use social media for 15 minutes during their lunch break, a manager argues, "If we allow this, employees will start using it all day. Productivity will plummet, deadlines will be missed, and eventually, the entire company will fail."
Answer: Slippery Slope
The manager's argument is a Slippery Slope fallacy. It asserts that a relatively small first step (15 minutes of social media) will inevitably lead to a chain of negative events culminating in a disastrous outcome (company failure), without providing sufficient evidence for this chain reaction.
Which of the following arguments relies on the "Appeal to Popularity" fallacy?
Answer: "Our two biggest competitors have both switched to this new accounting platform, so we should switch too or we'll be left behind."
This argument commits the Appeal to Popularity (or Bandwagon) fallacy. It suggests that the company should adopt the platform simply because other popular or successful companies are doing it, rather than basing the decision on the platform's merits for their specific needs.