Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Megan O'Brien
PHL/410
8/17/15
Robert Farrell
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Week Two Textbook Problems
1. Provide an example (not in the book) for each of the types of definition. Be sure to make your
example a definition.
(half-point each)
Stipulative – any term used that may be different from it’s dictionary meaning, such as student
being anyone enrolled in school under the age of 18.
Lexical- any term which is used in the way it is commonly used or used in the dictionary sense of
the term such as literally meaning the exact use of what is being said.
Précising- a term that extends the lexical use of a word for a specific purpose such as a movie
theater which charges a different rate for children 12 years of age and under. In this sense a child is
considered to be under 12 years of age.
Theoretical – a proposed way of thinking or definition of a term, this can be any form of
proposition that is unknown to be true such as whether or not the herb 5thp has any effect on
depression. In theory, it is said to aid in depression but whether it does for sure or not is unknown.
Persuasive – a word which is used to describe the commonly accepted meaning of a term, while
in reality stipulating an uncommon or altered use to support an argument, for example Loyalty – "a tool
to get people to do things they don't want to do."
genus-species – genus would describe the so called “parent” of its subclass term which would be
the “species”, for example the terms I will and the combined term I’ll.
A class is defined as a collection of entities which have the same characteristics and a member being an
individual which is included a class.
1. If you can’t blame the English language and your own is unforgivingly
precise, blame the microphone. That was the route Jacques Chirac took
after his nuclear remark about a nuclear Iran. “Having one or perhaps a
second bomb a little later, well, that’s not very dangerous,” Mr. Chirac
said with a shrug. The press was summoned back for a retake. “I should
rather have paid attention to what I was saying and understood that
perhaps I was on the record,” Mr. Chirac offered, as if the record rather
—Stacy Schiff, “Slip Sliding Away,” The New York Times, 2 February 2007
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Week Two Textbook Problems
I would say this would be a red herring fallacy because the author directs the attention of his point to
something that is irrelevant to his argument.
talk about power, harshness, and superb immorality was the hobby of a
This would be an ad hominum fallacy because the author is attacking Nietzsche by stating his talk is that
of a harmless young scholar and constitutional invalid.
4. However, it matters very little now what the king of England either says
or does; he hath wickedly broken through every moral and human obligation,
This would be a poisoning the well fallacy because the author is attacking the king of England.
This would also be poisoning the well due to its attack on the issues.
6. I was seven years old when the first election campaign which I can remember
little interest. But popular feeling ran high when it was disclosed that
one of the candidates was “the Prince.” There was no need to add Christian
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Week Two Textbook Problems
and surname to realize which Prince was meant. He was the owner
of the great estate formed by the arbitrary occupation of the vast tracts
About eight thousand families (that is, the majority of the local population)
hectares. The Prince was deigning to solicit “his” families for their
the estate, who were working for the Prince, talked in impeccably liberal
for the Prince, that’s understood; in the same way that no one, naturally,
can force the Prince to allow people who don’t vote for him to work on
his land. This is the period of real liberty for everybody; you’re free, and
For, as may easily be guessed, the Prince was the most hated person in
This would be a missing the point fallacy because the author goes on to discuss issues irrelevant to the
argument.
they were contracted, and the value of abstinence. Our schools did not
teach us about contraception. They did not pass out condoms, as many
of today’s schools do. And not one of the girls in any of my classes, not
I would say this would be begging the question because the author is stating a conclusion based upon
false or unproven premises.
“Do you realize that the vast majority of painful animal experimentation
of disease?”
“Are you aware that product testing on animals does not keep unsafe
This would be a complex question fallacy because the questions being asked are stating a conclusion
within the questions.
three thieves are arguing over division of seven pearls worth a king’s
ransom. One of them hands two to the man on his right, then two to the
man on his left. “I,” he says, “will keep three.” The man on his right
says, “How come you keep three?” “Because I am the leader.” “Oh. But
how come you are the leader?” “Because I have more pearls.”
This would be an accident fallacy because it is a generalization about why the leader became the leader.
6. “. . . I’ve always reckoned that looking at the new moon over your left
shoulder is one of the carelessest and foolishest things a body can do.
Old Hank Bunker done it once, and bragged about it; and in less than
two years he got drunk and fell off of the shot tower, and spread himself
out so that he was just a kind of a layer, as you may say; and they slid
him edgeways between two barn doors for a coffin, and buried him so,
so they say, but I didn’t see it. Pap told me. But anyway it all come of
This would be an accident fallacy because it is basing conclusions upon general premises.
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Week Two Textbook Problems
is over. Twenty-first century France rebels against change, not for it. What typically happens is that a
French government decides to do something
who assault their customers. The unions see this as the first step on the
road to slavery and call a national strike. After a week of posturing the
government backs down and waiters and sales clerks go back to insulting
of the universe, that is the sun, moon, and the planets, appear in this
form.
This would be a composition fallacy because the author is stating that the universe must because
spherical because what it contains is spherical.
asked, about a memorable meal you have eaten. One student wrote as
follows:
I had once eaten lunch with my uncle and my uncle’s friend. His friend had
once eaten lunch with Albert Einstein. Albert Einstein was once a man of great
spirituality. Therefore, by the law of the syllogism, I had once eaten lunch with
God.
—Leon Kass, The Hungry Soul: Eating and the Perfecting of Our Nature
This would be a division fallacy because the conclusion is drawn from the attributes of Einstein leading
to the conclusion that he is God.
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Week Two Textbook Problems