Exam 6: Relevance Red Herringfallacies

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Overheard somewhere and paraphrased:"The statistics that show you are better off wearing a seatbelt are completely flawed and can safely be ignored.Forcing people to use seatbelts,like making motorcyclists wear helmets,is just one more case of Big Brother infringing on personal liberty."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. From a letter to the editor:"The secretary of defense claims we cannot cut defense spending by so much as a jot.Right.What the generals want,the generals get.What the secretary is,is just another lawyer.It's not what's right that matters,it's what you can get.No wonder his relations with Congress are so poor."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. A lot of senators are crabbing about everything the president does these days.But if you look at the party those senators belong to,you'll notice that nearly all of them are members of the opposition party.So you can safely bet these criticisms are just partisan politics rather than the kind of thing we should take seriously.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "Either we secure our borders,or illegals will be taking over the country.This,to me,is a no-brainer."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. You know that hiring me for this job is the right thing to do,Dennis.Just think how horrible you'll feel if you knew that you threw your best friend back onto unemployment.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. "The administration's proposal to declare hundreds of thousands of acres of federal land as 'roadless areas' is a huge mistake,and I'm against it.The whole point of the proposal-and it will succeed if the President gets his way-is to lock the American people out of those areas."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "To me,she doesn't make any sense.She's just another airhead trying to impress the guys."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Well! Finally,after all these years,the telephone company makes an error on my bill in my favor! And I'm surely not going to point it out to them.They've been gouging me since telephones first came into existence.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "Jasmine believes dogs think just like people,but just can't talk.And that's not her looniest idea about dogs.I wouldn't take seriously any advice she gave you about your pup's health."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Letter to the editor:"In rejoinder to your July 21 editorial,I certainly don't see how you can criticize the striking Springfield Unified School District teachers who carried their own signs.Let us not forget that you endorsed and supported city council members Holt and Donazetti,who not only paraded up and down Main Street with their own placards,but also got young children out of school to parade with them." -North State Record

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Clearly Mexico desperately needs financial help in handling its $96 billion foreign debt,since without any aid Mexico cannot possibly reduce that enormous sum,and it is urgent that it be reduced.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "When Keith installed a new windshield for me he spent the whole time listening to talk radio.If you hire him,don't pay attention to anything he says."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. In response to the woman who felt that Chicago Honeybear cheerleaders were being exploited by men who viewed the Honeybears as sex objects,Chicago Tribune columnist Mike Royko devoted a column to the subject,suggesting that such women are hypocrites.The most sexually motivated of all sports fans,he said,are females,who gather in front of the TV screen solely to gawk at the muscular thighs and lean hips of the "hunks."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Sure,I've been irritable today,but I actually did a good thing for Zanja when I told him he's an annoying person who always hangs around us like a leech.It's not because I'm in a bad mood;I'm actually doing him a kindness.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "Gun control is pointless.We can't stop every lunatic from getting his hand on a gun."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. No,I do NOT believe that a murderer has a right to live,and here's why:The criminal justice system in this country has gotten completely out of control,what with rapists,murderers,you name it-all getting off scot-free.It's got to change!

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Marty:If we keep on the way we are going,we will destroy civilization on this planet. Tracy:That's so depressing.I think we need to think well of things.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. "A preliminary economic analysis suggests that federal government proposals to protect the northern spotted owl will cost the Pacific Northwest about 40,000 jobs-and the effect on the spotted owl population is pretty much unknown.But,hey,what do the livelihoods of 40,000 human beings matter when the government is responding to pressure groups?" -Orange County Register

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "The world will end on January 1.It has been written.People who don't believe it will be left behind."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. "I say let's splurge and buy seats on the fifty-yard line.I know a place we can get them for twenty-five dollars apiece." "Good grief! Maybe you want to spend every last cent we make on a football game,but not me.Are you nuts?"