Unit 8- Are there any fallacies in the reasoning?

Identify the fallacies in the following cases. Sometimes there is no fallacy at all.

1. Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy magazine, has argued against censorship of pornography.
But Hefner is an immature, self-indulgent millionaire who never outgrew the adolescent
fantasies of his youth. His argument, therefore, is worthless.
2. Millions of innocent people died in Stalin’s ruthless ideological purges. Clearly, Stalin was
one of the most brutal dictators of the twentieth century.
3. Doctor: You should quit smoking.
Patient: Look who’s talking! I’ll quit when you do, Dr. Smokestack!
4. I admit my son Billy can’t run, pass, kick, catch, block, or tackle, but he deserves to make the
football team. If he doesn’t make the team, he’s going to be an emotional wreck, and he may
even drop out of school.
5. Girls, this state championship is the biggest game of your lives. This is what you’ve been
working for all year. Your parents are counting on you, your school is counting on you, and
your community is counting on you. Make them proud! Play like the champions you are!
6. All the really cool kids at East Jefferson High School smoke cigarettes. Therefore, you
should, too.
7. Pete has argued that the New York Yankees are a better baseball team than the Atlanta
Braves. But the Braves aren’t a bad team. They have a great pitching staff, and they
consistently finish at or near the top of their division. Obviously, Pete doesn’t know what
he’s talking about.
8. Critics have accused my administration of doing too little to save the family farm. These
critics forget that I grew up on a farm. I know what it’s like to get up at the crack of dawn to
milk the cows. I know what it’s like to work in the field all day in the blazing sun. Family
farms are what made this country great, and those who criticize my farm policies simply
don’t know what they’re talking about.

9. School superintendent Kate Duncan has argued that children in public schools should be
allowed to participate in a voluntary moment of silence at the beginning of each school day.
But it’s wrong to allow teachers to indoctrinate children with their own religious views.
Duncan’s argument must be firmly rejected.

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10. If we don’t dramatically increase defense spending, the Chinese will soon surpass us as a
military power. And, if the Chinese surpass us as a military power, it’s only a matter of time
before we’ll all be speaking Chinese and eating chop suey.

11. Judges make the decision to return children to an abusive home once the Department of
Human Services has investigated a home and have presented their findings to the judge.
Unfortunately most judges are incompetent to make a decision. I have watched three cases in
which judges in Pawhuska [Oklahoma] have allowed access of their children to abusive
parents. (letter to the editor, Tulsa World)

12. Nobody would buy a car without first taking it for a test drive. Why then shouldn’t two
mature high school juniors live together before they decide whether to get married?