⇉Logical Fallacies⇇

Know what a logical fallacy is, identify them, and do NOT fall into the trap of
writing logical fallacies.

Name _____________________Period _____

Definition -

Fallacy Name Definition Example

Go to the next page.

 Logical Fallacy Worksheet
Lesson: Logical Fallacies
Objective: Before you write your Analytical Response Paper, you need to analyze faulty thinking by
studying and identifying logical fallacies.
Resource: Use “The Ten Common Logical Fallacies” from The Curious Writer by Bruce Ballenger. See
link in Canvas Assignments, Logical Fallacies.

Logical Fallacies Worksheet

Name___________________________ Class Time/

Using “The Ten Common Logical Fallacies” by Bruce Ballenger, identify the following examples. Hint, each of the
ten fallacies is used twice.

1. We have to stop the tuition increase! The next thing you know, they’ll be charging $40,000 a semester.

2. Immigration to New York from Bosnia increased. Soon after, the welfare rolls increased. Therefore, the
increased immigration caused the increased welfare rolls.

3. My fellow Americans. . . there has been some talk that the government is overstepping its bounds by
allowing police to enter peoples’ homes without the warrants traditionally required by the Constitution.
However, these are dangerous times and dangerous times require appropriate actions. I have in my office
thousands of letters from people who let me know, in no uncertain terms, that they heartily endorse the
war against crime in these United States. Because of this overwhelming approval, it is evident that the
police are doing the right thing.

4. People who opposed the Charlottetown Accord probably just wanted Quebec to separate. But we want
Quebec to stay in Canada.

5. Bill: Jill and I both support prayer in public schools.

Jill: Hey, I never said that!
Bill: You’re not an atheist are you, Jill?

6. We’ve got to stop them from banning pornography. Once they start banning one form of literature, they
will never stop. Next thing you know, they will be burning all the books!

7. Employees are like nails. Just as nails must be hit in the head in order to make them work, so must
employees.

8. I’m not a doctor, but I play one on the hit series, “Bimbos and Studmuffins in the OR.” You can take it from
me that when you need a fast acting, effective and safe pain killer, there is nothing better than
MorphiDope 2000. That is my considered medical opinion.

9. Craig: I believe that abortion is morally wrong.

Dave: Of course you would say that; you’re a priest.
Craig: What about the arguments I have to support my position?
Dave: Those don’t count. Like I said, you’re a priest, so you have to say abortion is wrong. You are just a lackey to
the Pope, so I can’t believe what you say.
 10. I took EZ-No-Cold, and two days later my cold disappeared.

11. My Internet degree is the same as your Harvard degree.

12. Senator Jones says that we should not fund the attack submarine program. I disagree entirely. I can’t
understand why he wants to leave us defenseless like that.

13. We know that God exists, since the Bible says God exists. What the Bible says must be true, since God
wrote it and God never lies. (We must agree that God exists in order to believe that God wrote the Bible).

14. Fred, the Australian, stole my wallet. Thus, all Australians are thieves.

15. You can’t believe Jack when he says Bush is wrong because Jack doesn’t even have a job.

16. If you don’t support the war, you don’t support America.

17. Jane is riding her bike in her home town in Maine. A station wagon comes up behind her and the driver
starts beeping his horn and then tries to force her off the road. As he goes by, the driver yells, “Get on the
sidewalk where you belong!” Jane sees that the car has Ohio plates and concludes that all Ohio drivers
are jerks.

18. Michael Jordan said State Farm Insurance is the best company.

19. Most healthy people eat at McDonalds at least once a week, so we should eat there also.

20. Interviewer: Your resume looks impressive, but I need another reference.
Tom: Carol can give me a good reference.
Interviewer: Good, but how do I know that Carol is trustworthy?
Tom: Certainly, I can vouch for her.

Video of everyday logical fallacies (This is a link in the Module assignment.) Give three examples
by briefly telling what is going on and which fallacy it is:

1.

2.

3.

4.
 Complete three logical fallacy identification from the Princess Bride excerpt “Battle of the
Wits” (watch “Battle of the Wits” scene and see the below transcript to answer three.).

The Princess Bride Vizzini’s Logic:

Vizzini: Have you heard of Socrates, Aristotle? All morons.

Westley: Alright. Where is the poison? The Battle of wits has begun. It ends when you decide and we both drink, and find out who is
right and who is dead.

Vizzini: But it’s so simple. All I have to do is divine from what I know of you. Are you the sort of man who would put the poison into his
own goblet or his enemy’s?

1. Logical Fallacy -

Now, a clever man would put the poison into his own goblet because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was
given. I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool. You would
have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.

2. Logical Fallacy –

Westley: You’ve made your decision then?

Vizzsini: Not remotely because iocane comes from Australia, as everyone knows, and Australia is entirely peopled with criminals, and
criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you.

3. Logical Fallacy –

Westley: Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.

Vizzini: Yes, Australia. And you must have suspected I would have known the powder’s origin, so I can clearly not choose the wine in
front of me.

4. Logical Fallacy –

Westley: You’re just stalling now.

Vizzini: You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you? You’ve beaten my giant, which means you’re exceptionally strong, so you could’ve put the
poison in your own goblet, trusting on your strength to save you, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But, you’ve also bested
my Spaniard, which means you must have studied, and in studying you must have learned that man is mortal, so you would have put the
poison as far from yourself as possible, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.

5. Logical Fallacy –

Westley: Then make your choice.

Vizzini: I will, and I choose. What in the world can that be?

Westley: What? Where? I don’t see anything.

 Vizzini: Well, I, I could have sworn I saw something. No matter. First, let’s drink. Me from my glass, and you from yours.

Westley: You guessed wrong.

Vizzini: You only think I guessed wrong! That’s what’s so funny! I switched glasses when your back was turned! Ha ha! You fool! You fell
victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well-known is this:
never go in against a Sicillian when death is son the line! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

6. Logical Fallacy –

Buttercup: And to think, all that time it was your cup that was poisoned.Westley: They were both poisoned. I spent the last few years
building up an immunity to iocane powder.