EXERCISE 9: Errors in Observation and Inductive Ambiguity
Identify the fallacy that occurs in each passage.
These will be fallacies from the Errors in Observation category: Tainted Data, Experimenter Bias, Inductive Hyperbole, and Ad Ignorantium.
1. It is sometimes claimed that Canadians are more polite than Americans. To test this we made recordings of people at busy street crossings in Quebec and in New York City. We then counted how many times the phrase "excuse me" could be heard on each recording. To our suprise, our study showed that Americans are significantly more polite than Canadians.
2. Experiments aimed at showing that marijuana is dangerous have so far been inconclusive, or at best controversial. I therefore conclude that smoking marijuana will do me no harm.
3. We were surprised how few teenagers engage in pre-marital sex. We held a focus group survey in the basement of the local church, and our survey clearly indicated that the number of teenagers who have had pre-marital sex was smaller than we expected.
4. I like rap music; but I wanted to find out if it was easier to study to classical music or to rap music. I studied for one logic test while listening to classical music, and got a C; then I studied for another test while listening to rap music, and got an A. I recommend that students list to rap music when studying for tests, rather than to classical music.
5. We should accept the claim that the earth was visited by ancient astronauts, since archaeologists have not been able to prove that ancient technology developed without outside influences.
6. Did you see that Martian rock with the worm-shaped fossil in it? It proves beyond all doubt that there was once life on Mars.
WELCOME EXPLANATION OF PRINCIPLES TABLE OF FALLACIES EXERCISES INDEX