Exam 6: Relevance Red Herringfallacies

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "One professor to another:One of my students missed class because of illness.How could anyone possibly think attendance is optional?"

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 am confident that you will clearly recognize that I'm a superior instructor on your evaluation of me.I've long known that you're one of the most perceptive students I've ever had.

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. speaker:In sum,despite the military's claims for the accuracy of smart weapons,over 70 percent of allied bombs missed their intended targets. person in audience:What's your documentation? Can you prove that you are right about that? speaker:Can you prove I'm wrong?

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. What do I think about Scientology's belief in reincarnation? I think Scientology is run by a high school dropout who doesn't know any science at all-except the science of fleecing people.

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. All this talk about secondhand smoke causing cancer,I just don't get it.How does it happen? WHEN does it happen? The first time you take a breath in a smoky room? The second time? The third? You can never pin it down exactly.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "Conservatism isn't dead? Who says?"

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "Honey,you are so understanding.Would you do the dishes this once?"

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. Listen.As long as you're going to live here at home and let your mother and me support you,you can rest assured that you're going to cooperate.And that goes for your opinions as well as for your behavior.

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 ACLU? Yeah,I know about them,and I don't like them very much.They're the ones who furnish free lawyers for criminals.

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. Another letter to the editor on the same subject:"It is positively disgraceful that welfare recipients can spend some of their checks on lottery tickets." If they can afford to spend their monthly allowances on the lottery instead of things that are essential,such as food,shelter,and clothing,then they don't need public assistance.Why should I,a taxpayer,shell out my money to them for that purpose? -North State Record

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "DEVELOPER:They're telling us to make changes to comply with the new water standards. DEVELOPER'S PARTNER:That's nuts.We've already spent a ton of money on that place."

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. "It really gripes me to see Bill Clinton talking about how cigarette smoking is a big contributor to public health costs.You want to know how much you can trust him on that subject? Well,even he himself admits to smoking cigars!"

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. Ad for a store that sells pianos:"Pianos are our only business.You'll get the best deal at the piano experts."

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. "Of course the Task Force on Crime is going to conclude that crime is on the way up.If they conclude it's on the way down,they'd have to disband the task force,wouldn't they?"

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. This river has been changing its course every couple of years for the past few thousand years.Now they've decided that the banks need to be stabilized.Who does the Army Corps of Engineers think it is to come in here and decide they know something Mother Nature doesn't?

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "Of course we should be able to go to the concert.Mom doesn't want us to have any fun at all! She treats us like babies.I'm fed up."

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. "It says here that smoke from wood-burning stoves,no matter how airtight they're supposed to be,gets into your house and is a health hazard." "No way.We just spent close to a thousand dollars on this new stove;what you're reading can't be true."

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:"Should people on welfare be allowed to play the lottery? I say no.It's time we did something about the welfare rip-off in this country.I believe in charity for the poor,but free-loading parasites who are too lazy to get out and do an honest day's work-I say cut them off at the knees!" -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. You're worried that the very expensive diamond you want to purchase may not be worth the price,and the salesperson says:"We KNOW diamonds here and we've examined this one very carefully.You can rest assured that it's worth every penny."

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 state of Nevada has a law that allows water that is going unused in one part of the state to be claimed by parties from another part of the state.Because of growth in Las Vegas,the law has caused serious disputes over water.] "Look.We in Las Vegas aren't trying to take water from anybody else's bathtub or kitchen faucet.The water we're talking about out in rural Nevada will either come to us and be put to good use,or it'll simply go to waste."