CLAST Logical Reasoning 2

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of the logical fallacy known as 'ad hominem'?

Accepted Answer

Attacking the person making an argument rather than the argument itself

Answer

Ad hominem is a fallacy that attacks the character or credibility of the person making an argument instead of addressing the argument's content.

Question 2

If the statement 'No reptiles are warm-blooded' is true, which of the following must also be true?

Accepted Answer

No warm-blooded animals are reptiles

Answer

If no reptiles are warm-blooded, then by conversion of the universal negative, no warm-blooded animals are reptiles.

Question 3

A researcher concludes that ice cream causes drowning because both increase in summer. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Confusing correlation with causation

Answer

Both ice cream consumption and drowning increase in summer due to hot weather — a third factor — not because one causes the other.

Question 4

Which argument form is VALID?

Accepted Answer

If P then Q; P is true; therefore Q is true

Answer

Modus ponens — 'If P then Q; P is true; therefore Q is true' — is the fundamental valid conditional argument form.

Question 5

The argument 'Everyone on the team agrees with the plan, so it must be correct' commits which fallacy?

Accepted Answer

Ad populum (appeal to the majority)

Answer

Appeal to the majority (ad populum) mistakes widespread agreement for truth, which is not a logically valid basis for a conclusion.

CLAST - College Level Academic Skills Test Practice Test