For this checkpoint you will only be using the following fallacies.
Ad hominem(inconsistency)
Begging the question
False dilemma
Straw man
you must choose which category the statement is in and Explain why you think this fallacy exists in the example.
2. Letter to the editor: "Andrea Keene's selective morality is once again showing through in her July 15 letter. This time she expresses her abhorence of abortion. But how we see only what we choose to see!I wonder if any of the anti abortionists have considered the widespread use of fertility drugs as the moral equivalent of abortion,and,if they have why they haven't come out against them,too. The use of these drugs frequently results in multiple births, which leads to the death of one of the infants , often after an agonizing struggle for survival . According to the rules of the pro-lifers, isn't this murder?
3. In one of her columns, Abigail Van Buren printed the letter of "I'd rather be a widow."The letter writer, a divorcee, complained about widows who said they had a hard time coping. Far better , she wrote , to be a widow than to be a divorcee, who are all "rejects" who have been "publicly dumped" and are avoided " like they have leprosy." Abby recognized the pseudoreasoning for what it was, though she did not call it by our name. What is our name for it?
5. Letter to the editor: " Once again the Park Commission is considering closing North Park Drive for the sake of a few joggers and bicyclists. These so-called fitness enthusiasts would evidently have us give to them for their own private use every last square inch of Walnut Grove.Then anytime anyone wanted a picnic, he would have to park and carry everything in- ice chests, chairs, maybe even grandma. I certainly hope the comission keeps the entire park open for everyone to use."
6." Some Christian - and other- groups are protesting against the placing, on federal property near the White house , of a set of plastic figurines representing a devout Jewish family in ancient Judea. The protesters would of course deny that they are driven by any anti-Semitic motivation. Still we wonder: WEould they raise the same objections (of uncostitutionality, etc.) if the scene depicted a modern, secularized Gentile family?"
8.From a letter to the editor: " The counties of Michigan clearly need the ability to raise additional sources of revenue , not only to meet the demands of growth but also to maintain existing levels of service . For without these sources those demands will not be met, and it will be impossible to maintain services even at present levels."
9. In Feburary 1992, a representative of the Catholic Church in Puerto Rico gave a radio interview ( broadcast on National public Radio) in which he said that the Church was against the use of condoms. Even though the rate of AIDS infection in Puerto Rico is much higher than on the U.S. mainland , the spokesman said that the Church could not support the use of condoms because they are not absolutely reliable in preventing a person from contracting AIDS, then the Church could support their use."
We will be happy to critique your thinking.
Ok Bob I am going to work on giving you the answers that i am thinking.
Checkpoint :Identifying Fallacies
For this checkpoint, you will only be using the following fallacies.
Ad hominem (inconsistency)
Begging the question
false dilemma
Straw man
You must choose which category the statement is in and Explain why you think this fallacy exists in the example.
2. Letter to the editor: "Andrea Keene's selective morality is once again showing through in her July 15 letter. This time she expresses her abhorrence of abortion. But how we see only what we choose to see! I wonder if any of the anti abortionists have considered the widespread use of fertility drugs as the moral equivalent of abortion, and, if they have why they haven't come out against them, too. The use of these drugs frequently results in multiple births, which leads to the death of one of the infants, often after an agonizing struggle for survival. According to the rules of the pro-lifers, isn't this murder?
Answer
Ad hominem(inconsistency)> The reason why I believe this statement to be an ad hominem (inconsistency) is because the author is saying “ you too” should the anti abortionist speak on the fertility drugs.
3. In one of her columns, Abigail Van Buren printed the letter of "I'd rather be a widow."The letter writer, a divorcee, complained about widows who said they had a hard time coping. Far better, she wrote , to be a widow than to be a divorcee, who are all "rejects" who have been "publicly dumped" and are avoided " like they have leprosy." Abby recognized the pseudo reasoning for what it was, though she did not call it by our name. What is our name for it?
Answer
Ad hominem (inconsistency)> The reason why I believe this statement to be an ad hominem(inconsistency) is because the writer is basically saying that she would rather be a widow than a divorcee due to the embarrassment.
5. Letter to the editor: “Once again the Park Commission is considering closing North Park Drive for the sake of a few joggers and bicyclists. These so-called fitness enthusiasts would evidently have us give to them for their own private use every last square inch of Walnut Grove. Then anytime anyone wanted a picnic, he would have to park and carry everything in- ice chests, chairs, maybe even grandma. I certainly hope the commission keeps the entire park open for everyone to use."
Answer
Straw man> the reason why I believe that this is a straw man fallacy is because the writer exaggerates about carrying everything in – icechests, chairs maybe even grandma.
6." Some Christian - and other- groups are protesting against the placing, on federal property near the White house, of a set of plastic figurines representing a devout Jewish family in ancient Judea. The protesters would of course deny that they are driven by any anti-Semitic motivation. Still we wonder: Would they raise the same objections (of unconstitutionality, etc.) if the scene depicted a modern, secularized Gentile family?"
Answer
Begging the question> The reason why I believe this statement to be a begging the question fallacy is because the author is making a claim about Christians and their beliefs.
8. From a letter to the editor: “The counties of Michigan clearly need the ability to raise additional sources of revenue, not only to meet the demands of growth but also to maintain existing levels of service. For without these sources those demands will not be met, and it will be impossible to maintain services even at present levels."
Answer
Begging the question> the reason why I believe this statement is because the author is assuming that demands will not be met.
9. In February 1992, a representative of the Catholic Church in Puerto Rico gave a radio interview (broadcast on National public Radio) in which he said that the Church was against the use of condoms. Even though the rate of AIDS infection in Puerto Rico is much higher than on the U.S. mainland, the spokesman said that the Church could not support the use of condoms because they are not absolutely reliable in preventing a person from contracting AIDS, then the Church could support their use."
Answer
False dilemma> The reason why I believe this excerpt to be false dilemma is because the author is not considering that condoms can prevent an individual from contracting AIDS.
2. The fallacy in this statement is a straw man. The author is misrepresenting the argument of the anti-abortionists by suggesting that they have not spoken out against the use of fertility drugs that may result in the death of one of the infants. However, it is a straw man because the argument being presented by the author misrepresents the actual position of the anti-abortionists. The use of fertility drugs and the ethical implications surrounding it are separate from the debate on abortion. The author is creating a false comparison and trying to discredit the anti-abortionists' stance on abortion by suggesting inconsistency.
3. The fallacy in this statement is an ad hominem. The letter writer is attacking divorcees by claiming that they are "rejects" who have been "publicly dumped" and are avoided "like they have leprosy." This is a personal attack on divorcees based on their marital status. The argument being presented does not address the actual issue being discussed (the difficulties faced by widows). Instead, it attacks divorced individuals and attempts to dismiss their experiences based on personal insults.
5. The fallacy in this statement is a false dilemma. The author presents a scenario where the Park Commission is considering closing North Park Drive for the sake of joggers and bicyclists. The author then presents a false dichotomy by suggesting that if the park is closed, then people would have to carry everything in for picnics, making it inconvenient for everyone else. However, this is a false dilemma because there is no logical reason why closing North Park Drive for joggers and bicyclists would automatically mean that picnic-goers would have to carry everything in. The author is presenting an either/or situation where more than two options are possible, creating a false choice.
6. The fallacy in this statement is another ad hominem. The author suggests that Christian and other groups protesting against the placing of plastic figurines representing a devout Jewish family in ancient Judea are driven by anti-Semitic motivations, even though the author acknowledges that such motivations would be denied by the protesters. By suggesting that the objections to the figurines are based on anti-Semitism, the author is attacking the character and motivations of the protesters rather than addressing the actual arguments they may have against the placement of the figurines.
8. The fallacy in this statement is begging the question. The author is assuming, without providing evidence or justification, that the counties of Michigan need the ability to raise additional sources of revenue. The statement assumes the truth of the claim it seeks to prove, which is that additional sources of revenue are required to meet the demands of growth and maintain existing levels of service. The author does not provide any reasoning or evidence to support this assumption.
9. The fallacy in this statement is a false dilemma. The spokesperson for the Catholic Church in Puerto Rico is presenting a false choice between condoms being absolutely reliable in preventing HIV/AIDS and the Church supporting their use. By suggesting that if condoms are not absolutely reliable, the Church cannot support their use, the spokesperson is creating a false dichotomy. There are other reasons why the Church may not support condom use, such as moral or religious beliefs, but the argument presented in the statement oversimplifies the issue by framing it as an all-or-nothing decision based solely on the reliability of condoms.