Skills Lesson: Types of Evidence and Logical Fallacies Practice

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question
Write an example of an argument that suffers from a faulty analogy. Then, explain why it does not prove the point being argued.
answer
the correct answer should indicate an understanding of the logical fallacy of a faulty analogy, which is discussed in the Application Lecture, and of why that fallacy does not prove the point being made. Here is an example of a correct answer: Julia says, \"Sam, I think we should date because we get along really well.\" Sam responds, \"We've only known each other for three days. I don't know you that well.\" Julia says, \"Getting to know a person is like eating a piece of cake. It only takes a bite to know if the cake's any good!\" Sam responds, \"I don't think that people are anything like cake. Good-bye.\" -In the above dialogue, Julia presents an argument that relies only on an analogy as evidence. Not only is the analogy the only piece of evidence, but it is also a weak analogy. It doesn't prove her point/conclusion that Sam and she should date
question
Explain fallacies of omission and give examples of this fallacy.
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Fallacies of omission are errors due to leaving out necessary information or misdirecting from necessary information. One type of fallacy of omission is argument from the negative, which is asserting that one position is correct because the opposition is false. An example of this type of fallacy is as follows: \"Pei-mei and Esmeralda are definitely not going out. Therefore, I am right that Pei-mei is dating Soshanna.\" A second type of fallacy of omission is appeal to a lack of evidence, which is asserting that one position is correct because there is a lack of evidence to prove that it is incorrect. An example of this type of fallacy is as follows: \"You cannot prove that ghosts don't exist, so they obviously exist.\"
question
Which of the following is a fallacy of ambiguity?
answer
I. division
question
Write an example of an argument that suffers from the fallacy of an argument from the negative. Then, explain why it does not prove the point being argued.
answer
The correct answer should indicate an understanding of the logical fallacy of an argument from the negative, which is discussed in the Application Lecture, and of why that fallacy does not prove the point being made. Here is an example of a correct answer: Studies show that using money as an incentive to encourage people to recycle does not work. Therefore, we should not try to encourage people to recycle.
question
What is anecdotal evidence? When should it be used (and not used) in a research paper?
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Anecdotal evidence is evidence based on personal observation, personal experience, personal examples, and case studies. It can be used to disprove general statements but should not be used to support arguments or support or oppose narrower claims.
question
Is this premise a fact or an opinion? Why?
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It's an opinion because it is a belief based on the perspective that the government should be involved in stopping the extinction of animals.
question
Evaluate the argument above, paying special attention to the evidence used. Label each sentence as either fact or opinion
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1. Sentence 1 is an opinion. 2. Sentence 2 is a fact. 3. Sentence 3 is a fact 4. Sentence 4 is a fact. 5. Sentence 5 is a fact. 6. Sentence 6 is an opinion.
question
Evaluate the argument above, paying special attention the evidence used. For each sentence, identify the type of evidence that is used. If the sentence is an opinion, describe what evidence or what combination of evidence would best support the opinion. If the sentence expresses a fact, describe what further evidence or information is needed to verify its accuracy
answer
For \"facts\" students must identify the type of evidence provided. For opinions, students must give an answer that shows an understanding of the different types of evidence and the strengths and weaknesses of using each. Here is an example: 1. Opinion: The author should use a combination of empirical and testimonial evidence to support the idea that graduating students with the same background, knowledge, and skills will help them succeed in postsecondary endeavors. 2. Fact: The evidence is sentence two could be statistical, testimonial, or empirical depending on what the author used to support this claim. Ideally, this supporting premise would be backed up with a bit of all three. 3. Fact: The evidence is sentence three could be statistical, testimonial, or empirical depending on what the author used to support this claim. Ideally, this supporting premise would be backed up with a bit of all three. 4. Fact: The author needs to give a citation for the study to support this fact. 5. Statistic: The author needs to provide the context and results of the study to make this statistic a strong supporting premise. 6. Opinion: The author should use a combination of empirical and testimonial evidence to support the idea that graduating students with the same background in literature will help them succeed in college. The author also needs to provide evidence, perhaps testimonial, to support the idea that frequently required titles in schools usually include texts that are \"pivotal\" to American culture and cultures around the world. The author also needs to explain the definition of \"pivotal.\"
question
40% of all organisms are endangered. Which kind of evidence would best support this premise?
answer
anecdotal
question
Which of the following is a fallacy of relevance?
answer
II. popular appeal
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