Question

Fallacies of Weak Induction - Practice

Now that you have had an opportunity to consider all of the fallacies of weak induction, you should be able to distinguish each type of fallacy of weak induction from the others.

Consider the following argumentative passages, and indicate what type of fallacy best describes each passage. If the passage is not fallacious, choose "no fallacy."

Passage A

Seventeen local residents have been diagnosed with salmonella poisoning, and the only thing they have in common is that they recently purchased tomatoes from a vendor at the local farmer's market. It is likely that the vendor's tomatoes were the source of the salmonella bacteria.

Which of the following best describes the type of fallacy committed in Passage A?

Hasty generalization

No fallacy

False cause

Slippery slope

Weak analogy

Passage B

Every time I am awakened by the alarm at the fire station down the street, I learn that a fire has broken out nearby. If we want to reduce the risk of fire in our neighborhood, we should prohibit the fire station from sounding its alarm.

Which of the following best describes the type of fallacy committed in Passage B?

No fallacy

False cause

Hasty generalization

Slippery slope

Appeal to unqualified authority

Passage C

Until someone can prove beyond a doubt that I was not abducted by aliens while I slept last night, we must assume that I was, in fact, abducted by aliens.

Which of the following best describes the type of fallacy committed in Passage C?

Appeal to ignorance

No fallacy

False cause

Hasty generalization

Appeal to unqualified authority

Passage D

I saw someone under the legal age purchasing cigarettes at that convenience store on Elm Street. The proprietor of that store must be running a racket to supply cigarettes to underage smokers.

Which of the following best describes the type of fallacy committed in Passage D?

No fallacy

False cause

Appeal to unqualified authority

Appeal to ignorance

Hasty generalization

Answer 1

Passage A

Fallacy means mintaken belief or false reasoning.

Salmonella can be spread by food and water. But, they purchased tomatoes from the same vendor does not bring any conclusive evidence about the causation or occurence of the disease. It' too early to certify the cause of the infection. Other inquiries are essential Thus, in my opinion the correct option is hasty generalization.

Passage B

The fire alarm is put on to make the people aware of the fact that they should be aware of the fire that is taking place. Fire is always dangerous and requires immediate attention. If the firestation is prohibited from playing the alarm, then who will make the people aware of? The author implies that the fire can be prevented by prohibiting the alarm to get played. That means the alarm is the cause of fire. This is false cause.

Passage C

Abduction means to take away someone forcibly or against will. The sentence demands comprehensive evidence against an assumption. In the absence of such evidence, the assumption has to be accepted. This appears to be a case without fallacy. No Fallacy.

Passage D

Some people who are under the legal age are provided cigarettes to smoke by the dealer. There is no question of a racket to supply cigarettes to underaged smokers. The basic component of a cigarette remains the same,it has to be the seller, i.e, the proprietor in this case who should be careful and vigilant. Unless those cigarettes contain some illegal narcotic items, the proprietor has to be cautious or he has to be blamed.The cause is false, the racket is not at all a factor here.