| Question |
Answer |
| Deductive thinking |
is the kind of reasoning that begins with two or more premisesand derives a conclusion that must follow from those premises, a conclusionthat is in fact contained or hidden in those very premises. |
| categorical syllogism |
MAJOR PREMISE—All human beings are mortal.MINOR PREMISE—Ann is a human being.CONCLUSION—Therefore, Ann is mortal. |
| existential fallacy |
when a particular conclusion is drawn fromtwo universal premises. |
| hypothetical syllogisms |
“if-then” form. |
| Denial-Affirmation |
“either/or”statements |
| The Fallacy of Division |
attempt to argue that what is true of the whole is true of its parts |
| Circular Reasoning (begging the question) |
a conclusionthat a person is arguing for is already assumed to be true in one of theargument’s premises. |
| The Either/Or Fallacy (all-or-nothing, black/white, false delima) |
)= not acknowledging that (1) both alternatives could betrue, (2) gray areas exist between the two alternatives, or (3) other possibilitiesexist |
| Inductive reasoning |
set of evidence or observationsabout some members of a class, or about some events-From this evidence or observationwe draw a conclusion about other members of the class, or other events |
| Analogical argument |
form of inductive reasoning that rests on the similaritiesbetween two things. |
| Hasty Generalization |
a conclusion is drawn from a sample thatis too small or selective to assume with any confidence that it represents the subjectaccurately. |
| reasonable generalization |
has alarge enough sample to warrant an inference |
| composition fallacy |
assumes that what is trueof the whole’s parts is true of the whole. |
| post hoc ergo propter hoc(“after this, therefore, because of this”) |
if an event follows X, it is thereforecaused by X. |
| extravagant hypothesis fallacy |
the formulation of a complex or unlikely explanation for an event when a simplerexplanation would do |
| false analogy (weak analogy) |
similarities betweentwo things being compared are not substantial enough to assume that anothercharacteristic of one of them probably applies to the other. |
| Slippery Slope |
once a person initiates an action, there is no stopping it untilit hits bottom. |
| geneticfallacy |
mistaken belief that the origin of an idea has some bearing on thetruth or falsity of it |
| appeal to authority. |
People use it whenever theyjustify their values and ideas by appealing to an authoritative source |
| Appeal to tradition |
attempt to justify a practice or policy because ithas “always” been that way. |
| is/ought fallacy |
argue that because something is the case, it therefore ought to be thecase. |
| bandwagon appeal |
appeal topopularity. |
| appeal to ignorance |
states a position to be true, or at least well-supported, by appealing tothe fact that there is no evidence to “prove” the position false |
Biology Lab Midterm
