Assignment: Fallacies in Everyday Life Worksheet
PHI 105 Grand Canyon Week 4 Assignment 1
Fallacies in Everyday Life Worksheet
Details:
Before beginning this worksheet, read the “Fallacies Defined” resource.
Purpose of Assignment: Fallacies in Everyday Life Worksheet
In Module 4, you learn about fallacies. Fallacies are defects in an argument that cause an argument to be invalid, unsound, or weak. Fallacies are illogical by definition. When fallacies are used as an argument, it is called fallacious reasoning. You encounter fallacious reasoning every day.
As critical thinkers, one of our goals is to avoid fallacious reasoning and rely instead on logic. The purpose of this assignment is to identify fallacious reasoning in everyday life. There are various types of fallacies. This assignment will focus on the 15 types of fallacies listed below. The more familiar you are with the various types of fallacies, the easier it is to be critical thinkers.
This Fallacies in Everyday Life Worksheet assignment has two parts.
Assignment: Fallacies in Everyday Life Worksheet Instructions Part 1:
Read the following quotations and choose which type of fallacy it represents by highlighting the appropriate fallacy. Then, in three to five sentences, explain why you chose the fallacy you did for each quotation.
Here is an example:
Quotation: “With the U.S. unemployment rate at 9.1%, every state, county, and city has unemployment problems (Johnson, 2011).”
- Slippery Slope
- ExtravagantHypothesis
- False Analogy
- Hasty Generalization
Explanation: This quote is an example of hasty generalization because it assumes that the employment rate for the whole country will affect each state, county and city equally. In fact, the 9.1% is just an average. There are some places much worse than this and there are some places much better. For example, the unemployment rate in California is 11.7% , but in Lincoln, Nebraska it is only 3.8%.
- Quotation:” I don’t wear my seat belt while driving anymore because I have three friends that all got in accidents while they were wearing their seatbelts.”
Which of the following types of fallacies is this statement?
Slippery Slope
ExtravagantHypothesis
False Analogy
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
Explanation:
- Quotation: “We have enough oil in the world to last a couple hundred years, so everyone should just drive SUV’s as long as they can afford the gas.”
Which of the following types of fallacies is this statement?
Appeal to Authority
Appeal to Tradition
The Is/Ought Fallacy
Bandwagon Appeal
Explanation:
- Quotation:“If you believe in global warming you just believe everything you are told and don’t think for yourself.”
Which of the following types of fallacies is this statement?
Fallacy of Division
Circular Reasoning
Either/or Fallacy
Hasty Generalization
Explanation:
- Quotation:“The defendant is obviously guilty because the polygraph administrator testified that he was lying.”
Which of the following types of fallacies is this statement?
The Fallacy of Composition
Appeal to Ignorance
The Genetic Fallacy
Appeal to Authority
Explanation:
- Quotation:“Barefoot running is superior to wearing running shoes because humans ran for thousands of years before shoes were invented.”
Which of the following types of fallacies is this statement?
- Extravagant Hypothesis
- Appeal to Tradition
- Fallacy of Division
- False Analogy
Explanation:
Assignment: Fallacies in Everyday Life Worksheet Instructions Part 2:
Identify and label each fallacious statement from the list below.
Fallacy of Division
Circular Reasoning
Either or Fallacy
Hasty Generalization
The Fallacy of Composition
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
Extravagant Hypothesis
False Analogy
Slippery Slope
The Genetic Fallacy
Appeal to Authority
Appeal to Tradition
The Is-Ought Fallacy
Bandwagon Appeal
Appeal to Ignorance
- Fallacious Statement:” I can’t help but think that you are the cause of this problem; we never had any problem within this department until you started working here.” What type of fallacy is it? Select a type of fallacy from the list above. Assignment: Fallacies in Everyday Life Worksheet________________________________________________________
- Fallacious Statement: “There is no compelling evidence that UFOs do not exist. Therefore, UFOs exist.” What type of fallacy is it? Select a type of fallacy from the list above. ________________________________________________________
- Fallacious Statement: “You should not eat at fast food restaurants because if you do then soon that is all you will be eating.” What type of fallacy is it? Select a type of fallacy from the list above. ________________________________________________________
- Fallacious Statement: “Stanley Clarke is the best bassist ever because he is better at playing the bass than anyone that has ever lived.” What type of fallacy is it? Select a type of fallacy from the list above. ________________________________________________________
- Fallacious Statement: “The ancient pyramids in Egypt were so symmetrical and well-built that they must have been constructed by aliens from another planet.” What type of fallacy is it? Select a type of fallacy from the list above.
PHI 105 Grand Canyon Week 4 Assignment 2
Persuasive Essay: Outline Worksheet
Details:
Review “How Do I Organize My Brainstorm into an Outline?” of “The Writing Process” Media piece.
Assignment Directions:
Outline your persuasive essay below by completing the following:
1) Use the feedback you received from your instructor to revise your thesis statement. Write your thesis as a complete sentence as you would in your essay. Record your thesis statement in the “Thesis Sentence” entry under the Introductory Paragraph heading below.
2) Create a topic sentence for each of the three paragraphs that comprise the body of your essay. Record the topic sentences in each of the “Topic Sentence” entries under the “Support for Thesis” headings. Your topic sentence should support your thesis and provide a transition between the paragraphs.
3) Record at least three details for each topic sentence. These details should provide support for the topic sentence. (Review the example outline below)
4) Record a concluding sentence under the “Conclusion” heading. This should be your thesis restated in different words.
Example
Introductory Paragraph
Thesis Sentence:
Earning a degree online is great for working adults because it is convenient, economical, and allows them to learn with other working adults around the world.
Support for Thesis 1
Topic Sentence: Online learning is convenient.
A: You can study and learn from home.
B: It is easier to balance work-life obligations.
C: You can attend class any time you would like.
Persuasive Essay Outline
Introductory Paragraph
Thesis Sentence: Support for Thesis 1 Topic Sentence: Detail A, Detail B, Detail C
Week 4 Discussion 1
Review a social media blog from the following list and examine it for fallacious reasoning. Identify at least two examples of fallacies within the selected blog. Record the fallacious quotes from the blog, and explain what type of fallacy you believe they are. For follow-up discussion, decide whether or not you agree or disagree with your classmates and explain why.
Week 4 Discussion 2
Describe a situation where you recently made a generalization in a statement on something. In hindsight, how could you have reacted differently so that your statement would have been more valid?
Week 5 Discussion 1
What is the relationship between thinking and language?
Week 5 Discussion 2
What are some words that have had a traditional meaning but have been redefined by more recent culture? Think in terms of your parents’ language and how it changed to your generation, computer language’s impact on society or maybe how your kids talk compared to your use of language.
Week 6 Discussion 1
What is the difference between persuasion and manipulation? Describe a time when you have encountered or used one or both of these.
Week 6 Discussion 2
Think of a metaphor for something that is commonly used in everyday speech. (ex. a metaphor for losing your job, is being “pink slipped.”) You may not post the same metaphor as someone else. Describe what could happen if someone doesn’t use critical thinking when encountering that metaphor. How would using critical thinking make this a better situation for the individual?
Week 7 Discussion 1
Grand Canyon University’s slogan is “Find Your Purpose.” How have you used, or could you use critical thinking in finding your purpose?
Week 7 Discussion 2
What do you think it means to use ethics in your thinking? Assignment: Fallacies in Everyday Life Worksheet
