Vũ Thị Thùy Dung

Student      : Vũ Thị Thùy Dung

Group        : QH2010E20

crictical thinking

Entry 4

Source:  http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/fallacy/fallacy-list.php

               http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/false-dilemma.html

               http://onegoodmove.org/fallacy/equiv.htm

ITEM 1:

-         Bill: "Jill and I both support having prayer in public schools."

-         Jill: "Hey, I never said that!"

-         Bill: "You're not an atheist are you Jill?"

-         False Dilemma

Structure of the argument       

(Premise) The person who isn’t an atheist support having prayer in public schools.

(Premise 2) Jill isn’t an atheist.

(Conclusion) Jill supports having prayer in public schools.

Argument error

Bill’s argument is weak because a person who isn’t an atheist mightn’t support having prayer in public schools.

ITEM 2:

“Smith, who is from England, decides to attend graduate school at Ohio State University. He has never been to the US before. The day after he arrives, he is walking back from an orientation session and sees two white (albino) squirrels chasing each other around a tree. In his next letter home, he tells his family that American squirrels are white.”

-         Hasty Generalization

Structure of the argument

(Premise) In the US, Smith sees two white (albino) squirrels chasing each other around a tree.

(Conclusion) American squirrels are white.

Argument error

Smith’s argument is weak because the number of squirrels mayn’t be representative

for her illness.

ITEM 3:

Bill and Jane are arguing about the morality of abortion:

-         Bill: "I believe that abortion is morally acceptable. After all, a woman should have a right to her own body."

-         Jane: "I disagree completely. Dr. Johan Skarn says that abortion is always morally wrong, regardless of the situation. He has to be right, after all, he is a respected expert in his field."

-         Bill: "I've never heard of Dr. Skarn. Who is he?"

-         Jane: "He's the guy that won the Nobel Prize in physics for his work on cold fusion."
Bill: "I see. Does he have any expertise in morality or ethics?"

-         Jane: "I don't know. But he's a world famous expert, so I believe him."

-         Appeal to Authority

Structure of the argument

(Premise)     Dr. Johan Skarn says that abortion is always morally wrong, regardless of the situation.

(Premise 2)    He is a world famous expert on cold fusion.

(Conclusion)  Abortion is morally unacceptable.

Argument error

Jane’s argument is weak because Dr. Johan Skarn mayn’t have any expertise in morality or ethics.