Straw Man Fallacy Examples
1. Lloyd: Can you allow time for more class discussion? Prof. Schwartz: I don't want to give the entire class period over to some aimless bull session.
2. Pro-choice is absurd. How could anyone support killing an innocent human being?
3.Egalitarianism is wrong because it is the same as communism.
4. It's appalling to me that the people who oppose the death penalty believe the lives of convicted murderers are more important than the lives of their victims. This alone shows that the opponents of capital punishment are wrong.
5. Senator Jackson is anti-woman. After all, he voted against anti-pornography legislation, so he is in favor of the sexual and violent exploitation of women.
6. Smith: We must have equal consideration for same sex couples as we do for heterosexual couples. It is unconstitutional to deny rights to these Americans. Jones: If you want men to be able to wear wedding dresses that's fine, but I don't want my tax dollars going to some ridiculous liberal idea.
7. Debra: There is no logical or moral justification for the killing of animals for food. Animals are sentient creatures that deserve the same consideration as humans. Joe: Look, if you want to eat grass like a cow, Bon Appetit! Just let me have my hamburger.
8. Immanuel: When people are happy, they are more inclined to obey the moral law. Knowing this, we can see that we all have an indirect moral obligation to be happy. John: Sure, sure. Let's encourage people to pursue happiness at any price, is that it? But what you don't seem to understand is that one person's unrestrained pursuit of personal happiness can wreak havoc on the personal happiness of others.
9. Inez: The double standard has been as hard on men as it has been on women, since it tends to define masculinity in a very narrow way, and this has restricted men's freedom to explore the full range of their possibilities. Jean: What are you saying, Inez? Do you think women have had all the freedom in the world in this regard? On the contrary, socially sanctioned female roles have been like a straightjacket to women.
1. Lloyd: Can you allow time for more class discussion? Prof. Schwartz: I don't want to give the entire class period over to some aimless bull session.
2. Pro-choice is absurd. How could anyone support killing an innocent human being?
3.Egalitarianism is wrong because it is the same as communism.
4. It's appalling to me that the people who oppose the death penalty believe the lives of convicted murderers are more important than the lives of their victims. This alone shows that the opponents of capital punishment are wrong.
5. Senator Jackson is anti-woman. After all, he voted against anti-pornography legislation, so he is in favor of the sexual and violent exploitation of women.
6. Smith: We must have equal consideration for same sex couples as we do for heterosexual couples. It is unconstitutional to deny rights to these Americans. Jones: If you want men to be able to wear wedding dresses that's fine, but I don't want my tax dollars going to some ridiculous liberal idea.
7. Debra: There is no logical or moral justification for the killing of animals for food. Animals are sentient creatures that deserve the same consideration as humans. Joe: Look, if you want to eat grass like a cow, Bon Appetit! Just let me have my hamburger.
8. Immanuel: When people are happy, they are more inclined to obey the moral law. Knowing this, we can see that we all have an indirect moral obligation to be happy. John: Sure, sure. Let's encourage people to pursue happiness at any price, is that it? But what you don't seem to understand is that one person's unrestrained pursuit of personal happiness can wreak havoc on the personal happiness of others.
9. Inez: The double standard has been as hard on men as it has been on women, since it tends to define masculinity in a very narrow way, and this has restricted men's freedom to explore the full range of their possibilities. Jean: What are you saying, Inez? Do you think women have had all the freedom in the world in this regard? On the contrary, socially sanctioned female roles have been like a straightjacket to women.
Eg. "I took two tablets of paracetamol and prayed to God; soon my headache disappeared. I felt better now. Thank God. He cured me."
Which fallacy is committed here drop your Answer๐
Which fallacy is committed here drop your Answer๐
Red Herring Fallacy Examples
1. Son: "Wow, Dad, it's really hard to make a living on my salary." Father: "Consider yourself lucky, son. Why, when I was your age, I only made $40 a week."
2. Senator Clark: "Why are you not willing to support the antiabortion amendment? Don't you have any feelings at all for the unborn children whose lives are being indiscriminately blotted out?" Senator Rich: "I just don't understand why you people who get so worked up about lives being blotted out by abortion don't have the same feelings about the thousands of lives that are blotted out every year by the indiscriminate use of handguns. Is not the issue of the sanctity of human life involved in both issues? Why have you not supported us in our efforts at gun-control legislation?"
3. Student: "The opinions of the students are completely ignored in the process of determining both curricular changes and social programs. The students should have a much greater voice in campus governance, because we have a very great stake in this institution, and we think that we have a positive contribution to make." Professor: "The faculty are the ones who need a greater voice. Professors can be fired without explanation, and they have no control over who is promoted or given tenure. Their opinions about budgetary allotments are completely ignored. Why aren't you concerned about the injustice the faculty is experiencing?"
4. Daughter: "I'm so hurt that Todd broke up with me, Mom." Mother: "Just think of all the starving children in Africa, honey. Your problems will seem pretty insignificant then."
5. Ms. Olive has objected to my views on capital punishment by trying to show that the taking of human life, legally or illegally, cannot be ethically justified. But the matter is really simple, isn't it? Murderers certainly aren't ethically justified in taking the lives of their victims. Does anyone ever think of the poor victim?
6. Andy: "Hey, what's with all this junk food you bought? You're always railing at me about eating healthy." Aunt Bea: "Don't fuss -- it was on sale."
7. Reporter: "It seems to me that if you were elected president, the Congress with which you would have to work would not be very cooperative at all. How could you, as president, bring about any reform or help enact any beneficial legislation with a Congress that was almost totally opposed to your programs?" Ross Perot: "Well, if I were elected, about half the members of Congress would drop dead of heart attacks, and half of my problem would be solved from the outset."
8. Jack: "Bob Dylan is the greatest performer of our time." Jill: "Well, Dylan is a fine writer, but as a performer, he stinks. I saw a concert of his once and we was singing unintelligibly and looked like he was falling asleep." Jack: "Well, Fleetwood Mac, one of your favorite groups, is not so great in concert either."
9. Teresa: "It's so obvious that an open society will always be vulnerable to terrorist attack, so the question is how much of our free movement we are willing to sacrifice for national security." George: "No, the question is how our government agencies could have been so stupid as to ignore all the signs of the impending attack."
10. Reporter: "Mr. President, your opponent, Walter Mondale is considerably younger than you. Do you think that with the threat of nuclear war, age should be an issue in this campaign?" President Reagan: "Not at all. I am not going to exploit my opponent's youth and inexperience."
1. Son: "Wow, Dad, it's really hard to make a living on my salary." Father: "Consider yourself lucky, son. Why, when I was your age, I only made $40 a week."
2. Senator Clark: "Why are you not willing to support the antiabortion amendment? Don't you have any feelings at all for the unborn children whose lives are being indiscriminately blotted out?" Senator Rich: "I just don't understand why you people who get so worked up about lives being blotted out by abortion don't have the same feelings about the thousands of lives that are blotted out every year by the indiscriminate use of handguns. Is not the issue of the sanctity of human life involved in both issues? Why have you not supported us in our efforts at gun-control legislation?"
3. Student: "The opinions of the students are completely ignored in the process of determining both curricular changes and social programs. The students should have a much greater voice in campus governance, because we have a very great stake in this institution, and we think that we have a positive contribution to make." Professor: "The faculty are the ones who need a greater voice. Professors can be fired without explanation, and they have no control over who is promoted or given tenure. Their opinions about budgetary allotments are completely ignored. Why aren't you concerned about the injustice the faculty is experiencing?"
4. Daughter: "I'm so hurt that Todd broke up with me, Mom." Mother: "Just think of all the starving children in Africa, honey. Your problems will seem pretty insignificant then."
5. Ms. Olive has objected to my views on capital punishment by trying to show that the taking of human life, legally or illegally, cannot be ethically justified. But the matter is really simple, isn't it? Murderers certainly aren't ethically justified in taking the lives of their victims. Does anyone ever think of the poor victim?
6. Andy: "Hey, what's with all this junk food you bought? You're always railing at me about eating healthy." Aunt Bea: "Don't fuss -- it was on sale."
7. Reporter: "It seems to me that if you were elected president, the Congress with which you would have to work would not be very cooperative at all. How could you, as president, bring about any reform or help enact any beneficial legislation with a Congress that was almost totally opposed to your programs?" Ross Perot: "Well, if I were elected, about half the members of Congress would drop dead of heart attacks, and half of my problem would be solved from the outset."
8. Jack: "Bob Dylan is the greatest performer of our time." Jill: "Well, Dylan is a fine writer, but as a performer, he stinks. I saw a concert of his once and we was singing unintelligibly and looked like he was falling asleep." Jack: "Well, Fleetwood Mac, one of your favorite groups, is not so great in concert either."
9. Teresa: "It's so obvious that an open society will always be vulnerable to terrorist attack, so the question is how much of our free movement we are willing to sacrifice for national security." George: "No, the question is how our government agencies could have been so stupid as to ignore all the signs of the impending attack."
10. Reporter: "Mr. President, your opponent, Walter Mondale is considerably younger than you. Do you think that with the threat of nuclear war, age should be an issue in this campaign?" President Reagan: "Not at all. I am not going to exploit my opponent's youth and inexperience."
True/False
Fallacy refers to any problem in argument caused by a defect in reasoning other than false evidence.
Identify the fallacy committed
Him: "C'mon, hook up with me tonight." Her: "Why should I?" Him: "Why shouldn't you?"
Drop your Answer
Fallacy refers to any problem in argument caused by a defect in reasoning other than false evidence.
Identify the fallacy committed
Him: "C'mon, hook up with me tonight." Her: "Why should I?" Him: "Why shouldn't you?"
Drop your Answer