Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Identifying Logical Fallacies 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A speaker argues: 'We should not allow any exceptions to the no-phone policy in meetings. Once we allow one exception, everyone will demand exceptions, and soon no one will follow any rules.' Which fallacy is this?
- False dilemma
- Slippery slope (Correct answer)
- Hasty generalization
- Appeal to emotion
Correct answer: Slippery slope
Slippery slope assumes without justification that one minor concession will inevitably lead to a complete breakdown of the rule.
Question 2: An activist says: 'You drive a car, so you have no right to lecture anyone about carbon emissions.' This is an example of which fallacy?
- Tu quoque (appeal to hypocrisy) (Correct answer)
- Red herring
- Bandwagon
- Straw man
Correct answer: Tu quoque (appeal to hypocrisy)
Tu quoque deflects criticism by pointing to the critic's own behavior, but a person's hypocrisy does not invalidate the truth or logic of their argument.
Question 3: A politician says: 'I don't need to address the accusations of corruption — my accuser has had financial scandals of his own.' Which fallacy does this exemplify?
- Ad hominem
- Tu quoque (Correct answer)
- Red herring
- False dilemma
Correct answer: Tu quoque
Tu quoque (you too) deflects scrutiny by pointing to the accuser's own alleged wrongdoing rather than responding to the substance of the accusation.
Question 4: An editorial claims: 'Studies show people who eat breakfast perform better academically. To improve student achievement, we should mandate school breakfasts.' Which reasoning error is present?
- Post hoc ergo propter hoc
- Confusing correlation with causation (Correct answer)
- Hasty generalization
- Equivocation
Correct answer: Confusing correlation with causation
A correlation between eating breakfast and academic performance does not prove breakfast causes better performance — confounding variables like socioeconomic status may explain both.
Question 5: A fundraiser appeal states: 'Think of the children suffering in poverty every single day while you sit comfortably at home. How can you not donate?' Which fallacy is primarily at work?
- Slippery slope
- Appeal to emotion (Correct answer)
- Bandwagon
- False dilemma
Correct answer: Appeal to emotion
Appeal to emotion manipulates feelings — in this case guilt and pity — rather than providing logical reasons why the donation is the best use of funds.
Question 6: A supervisor says: 'You claim our overtime policy is unfair, but you don't have a degree in HR or labor law, so your opinion doesn't count.' Which fallacy is committed?
- Appeal to authority
- Ad hominem (circumstantial) (Correct answer)
- Genetic fallacy
- Equivocation
Correct answer: Ad hominem (circumstantial)
Dismissing someone's argument based on their lack of credentials (rather than flaws in their reasoning) is an ad hominem that sidesteps the substance of their claim.
Question 7: A critic writes: 'This charity claims to fight hunger, but their CEO earns $300,000 a year. Clearly the whole organization is corrupt and wasteful.' Which fallacy best describes this reasoning?
- Hasty generalization (Correct answer)
- Red herring
- False cause
- Straw man
Correct answer: Hasty generalization
Judging an entire organization's integrity based on one data point (the CEO's salary) is a hasty generalization that ignores the broader evidence about the charity's operations.
Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Identifying Logical Fallacies 5
A speaker argues: 'We should not allow any exceptions to the no-phone policy in meetings.
Once we allow one exception, everyone will demand exceptions, and soon no one will follow any rules.' Which fallacy is this?