PART II: Continue reading the passage. As you read, you will note that Polly is countering the narrator’s assertions or claims by identifying the logical fallacy that is being used. In the space provided, select the letter for the answer that best identifies the fallacy used in the scenario.
“My dear,” I said, favoring her with a smile, “we have now spent five evenings together. We have gotten along, splendidly. It is clear that we are well matched.”
“_____,” said Polly brightly.
“I beg your pardon,” said I.
“How can you say that we are, well matched‟ on the basis of only five dates?”
I chuckled with amusement. The dear child had learned her lessons well.
1. Polly has identified that a (n) _____ is being used here.
a. Hasty Generalization
b. False Analogy
c. Ad Misericordiam
d. Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
e. Dicto Simpliciter
f. Poisoning the Well
“My dear,” I said, patting her hand in a tolerant manner, “five dates is plenty. After all, you don’t have to eat a whole cake to know it’s good.”
“_____,” said Polly promptly. “I’m not a cake. I’m a girl.”
2. Polly has identified that a (n) _____ is being used here.
a. Hasty Generalization
b. False Analogy
c. Ad Misericordiam
d. Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
e. Dicto Simpliciter
f. Poisoning the Well
I chuckled with somewhat less amusement. The dear child had learned her lesson perhaps too well. I decided to change tactics. Obviously the best approach was a simple, strong, direct declaration of love. I paused for a moment while my massive brain chose the proper words. Then I began:
“Polly, I love you. You are the whole world to me, and the moon and the stars and the constellations of outer space. Please, my darling, say that you will go steady with me, for if you will not, life will be meaningless. I will languish. I will refuse my meals. I will wander the face of the earth, a shambling, hollow-eyed hulk.”
There, I thought, folding my arms that ought to do it.
“_____,” said Polly.
3. Polly has identified that a (n) _____ is being used here.
a. Hasty Generalization
b. False Analogy
c. Ad Misericordiam
d. Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
e. Dicto Simpliciter
f. Poisoning the Well
I ground my teeth. Frantically, I fought back the tide of panic surging through me. At all costs I had to keep cool.
“Well, Polly,” I said, forcing a smile, “you certainly have learned your fallacies.” “You’re darn right,” she said with a vigorous nod.
“And who taught them to you, Polly?” “You did.”
“That’s right. So you do owe me something, don’t you, my dear? If I hadn’t come along you never would have learned about fallacies.”
“_____,” she said instantly.
4. Polly has identified that a (n) _____ is being used here.
a. Hasty Generalization
b. False Analogy
c. Ad Misericordiam
d. Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
e. Dicto Simpliciter
f. Poisoning the Well
I dashed perspiration from my brow. “Polly,” I croaked, “you mustn’t take all these things so literally. I mean this is just classroom stuff. You know that the things you learn in school don’t have anything to do with life.”
“_____,” she said, wagging her finger at me playfully. That did it. I leaped to my feet, bellowing like a bull.
5. Polly has identified that a (n) _____ is being used here.
a. Hasty Generalization
b. False Analogy
c. Ad Misericordiam
d. Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
e. Dicto Simpliciter
f. Poisoning the Well
“Will you or will you not go steady with me?” “I will not,” she replied.
“Why not?” I demanded.
“Because this afternoon I promised Petey Burch that I would go steady with him.”
I reeled back, overcome with the infamy of it. After he promised, after he made a deal, after he shook my hand!
“The rat,” I shrieked, kicking up great chunks of turf.
“You can’t go with him, Polly. He’s a liar. He’s a cheat. He’s a rat.”
“_____,” said stop shouting. I think shouting must be a fallacy too.”
6. Polly has identified that a (n) _____ is being used here.
a. Hasty Generalization
b. False Analogy
c. Ad Misericordiam
d. Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
e. Dicto Simpliciter
f. Poisoning the Well
With an immense effort of will, I modulated my voice.
“All right,” I said. “You are a logician. Let’s look at this thing logically. How could you choose Petey Burch over me? Look at me: a brilliant student, a tremendous intellectual, a man with an assured future. Look at Petey: a knot head, a jitterbug, a guy who’ll ever know where his next meal is coming from. Can you give me one logical reason why you should go steady with Petey Burch?”
“I certainly can,” declared Polly. “He’s got a raccoon coat.”
PART III: Rewrite your answer choices below.
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
6. F
NOTE: This activity truly proves that it understanding logical fallacies is as easy as A, B, C, D, E, and F.
