TSA TSA Critical Thinking & Logical Reasoning 3

Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

'You can't trust his economic analysis — he never finished college'

Answer

Ad hominem attacks the person making the argument rather than the argument itself.

Question 2

In TSA, a 'necessary condition' for an event means:

Accepted Answer

The condition must be present for the event to occur, but doesn't guarantee it

Answer

A necessary condition must be present for an outcome to occur, but its presence alone does not guarantee the outcome.

Question 3

Which of the following best represents inductive reasoning?

Accepted Answer

Every sample tested contained the compound, so it is probably present throughout

Answer

Inductive reasoning draws probable general conclusions from specific observations.

Question 4

A student claims: 'No one has disproved my theory, so it must be correct.' This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Argument from ignorance

Answer

Arguing that something is true because it has not been proven false is the argument from ignorance fallacy.

Question 5

What is a 'straw man' fallacy?

Accepted Answer

Misrepresenting an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack

Answer

A straw man fallacy involves distorting or exaggerating an opponent's position to make it easier to defeat.

TSA - Thinking Skills Assessment Practice Test