TEN STEPS to ADVANCED READING SECOND EDITION This

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SECOND EDITION TEN STEPS to ADVANCED READING John Langan © 2013 Townsend Press

Chapter 9 CRITICAL READING

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Skilled readers are those who can recognize an author’s point and the support for that point. Critical readers are those who can evaluate an author’s support for a point and determine whether that support is solid or not.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading This chapter will extend your ability to read critically in three ways: l Separating fact from opinion l Detecting propaganda l Recognizing errors in reasoning

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion Fact A fact is information that can be proved true through This evidence may be physical objective evidence. proof or the spoken or written testimony of witnesses.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Fact Here is a statement that contains several facts. The facts can be checked for accuracy and thus proved true. Abraham Lincoln, whose nickname was “Honest Abe, ” had no formal education or religion; he was president of the United States from 1861 to 1865 at a salary of $25, 000 a year. You can look up in historical documents these facts about Lincoln.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Fact Here is another statement of fact. At least four out of five adults will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. Extensive medical research confirms that this statement is true.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion An opinion is a belief, judgment, or conclusion that cannot be objectively proved true. As a result, it is open to question.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Opinion Here is a statement that is an opinion: With the exception only of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln was the greatest leader our country has ever had. Many people might agree with this statement, but others would not. There is no way to prove it definitively.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Opinion With the exception only of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln was the greatest leader our country has ever had. Greatest is a value word, a word we use to express a value judgment. Value words are signals that an opinion is being expressed. By their very nature, these words represent opinions, not facts.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Opinion Here is another opinion: The best treatment for lower back pain is physical therapy. There is no consensus in the scientific community that this is true. Many treatments other than physical therapy—medication, exercise, surgery, or acupuncture, for example—are recommended by experts.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Five Points about Fact and Opinion 1 Statements of fact may be found to be untrue. Facts can turn out to be errors, not facts. It is not unusual for evidence to show that a “fact” is not example, it was once considered to be a really. For true. fact that the world was flat, but that “fact” turned out to be an error.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Five Points about Fact and Opinion 2 Value words (ones that contain a judgment) often represent opinions. Examples of Value Words

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Five Points about Fact and Opinion 2 Value words are generally subjective, not objective. While factual statements report on observed reality, subjective statements evaluate or interpret reality. the observation that it is cloudy For example, outside is objective. The statement that the weather is bad, however, is subjective, an evaluation of reality. (Some people—for example, farmers whose crops need water—consider rain to be good weather. )

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Five Points about Fact and Opinion 3 The words should and ought to often signal opinions. Those words introduce what some people think should, or ought to, be done. Other people may disagree. Examples • Adults who molest young children ought to be put to death. • Women with children should not run for public office.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Five Points about Fact and Opinion 4 Don’t mistake widely held opinions for facts. Much information that sounds factual is really opinion. An ad may claim that a particular automobile is “the most economical car on the road today, ” a statement that at first. But seems what factual. is meant by economical? If the car offers the most miles per gallon but the worst record for expensive repairs, you might not agree that it’s economical.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Five Points about Fact and Opinion 5 Much of what we read and hear is a mixture of fact and opinion. Our job is to draw upon existing fact and opinion The reality is that and to arrive at an informed opinion. most of what matters in life is very complex and cannot be separated into simple fact and opinion. Our challenge always is to arrive at the best possible informed opinion

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion Fact and Opinion in Reading In general, textbook authors try to be as factual On the other hand, many essays, as possible. editorials, political speeches, and advertisements may contain facts, but those facts are often carefully selected to back up the authors’ opinions.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Fact and Opinion in Reading Which statement below is fact? Which is opinion? A. In 1828, New York became the first state to restrict abortion; by 1900 it had been made illegal throughout the country. B. Legalized abortion is the main cause of sexual misbehavior in the United States.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Fact and Opinion in Reading Which statement below is fact? Which is opinion? A. In 1828, New York became the first state to restrict abortion; by 1900 it had been made illegal throughout the country. B. Legalized abortion is the main cause of sexual misbehavior in the United States. Statement A presents facts that could be looked up in historical records.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Fact and Opinion in Reading Which statement below is fact? Which is opinion? A. In 1828, New York became the first state to restrict abortion; by 1900 it had been made illegal throughout the country. B. Legalized abortion is the main cause of sexual misbehavior in the United States. Statement A presents facts that could be looked up in historical records. Statement B is an opinion. Some people would argue, for example, that sexual misbehavior existed before abortion became an option.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Fact and Opinion in Reading Which statement below is fact? Which is opinion? Which is fact and opinion? A. Today’s computer-animated films are not as good as the old hand-drawn animated ones. B. The first American animated feature film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937 by the Disney studio. C. The 1940 animated film Fantasia, which combined animation with classical music, is the most imaginative movie ever made.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Fact and Opinion in Reading Which statement below is fact? Which is opinion? Which is fact and opinion? A. Today’s computer-animated films are not as good as the old hand-drawn animated ones. B. The first American animated feature film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937 by the Disney studio. C. The 1940 animated film Fantasia, which combined animation with classical music, is the most imaginative movie ever made. Statement B is a fact that can be confirmed by checking film records.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Fact and Opinion in Reading Which statement below is fact? Which is opinion? Which is fact and opinion? A. Today’s computer-animated films are not as good as the old hand-drawn animated ones. B. The first American animated feature film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937 by the Disney studio. C. The 1940 animated film Fantasia, which combined animation with classical music, is the most imaginative movie ever made. Statement B is a fact that can be confirmed by checking film records. Statement A is an opinion. Many people might disagree. The value word good is a clue.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Separating Fact from Opinion / Fact and Opinion in Reading Which statement below is fact? Which is opinion? Which is fact and opinion? A. Today’s computer-animated films are not as good as the old hand-drawn animated ones. B. The first American animated feature film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937 by the Disney studio. C. The 1940 animated film Fantasia, which combined animation with classical music, is the most imaginative movie ever made. Statement B is a fact that can be confirmed by checking film records. Statement A is an opinion. Many people might disagree. The value word good is a clue. The first part of C is a fact that can be confirmed in movie records and by watching the film. The second part is an opinion; other people might nominate some other film as the most imaginative one ever made.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda Advertisers, salespeople, and politicians are constantly promoting their points: “Buy our product, ” “Believe what I say, ” and “Vote for me. ”

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda Advertisers, salespeople, and politicians are constantly promoting their points: “Buy our product, ” “Believe what I say, ” and “Vote for me. ”Often, they lack adequate factual support for their points, so they appeal to our emotions by using propaganda techniques. Part of being a critical reader is having the ability to recognize these propaganda techniques for the emotional fluff that they are.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda This section will introduce you to six common propaganda techniques: l Bandwagon l Plain Folks l Testimonial l Name Calling l Transfer l Glittering Generalities There are other propaganda techniques, but They all use emotional these six are among the most common. appeals to distract from the fact they are not providing solid evidence to support their points.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda 1 Bandwagon The bandwagon technique tells us to buy a product or support a certain issue because, in effect, “everybody else is doing it. ”

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 1 Bandwagon Here are two examples of ads that use the bandwagon appeal: • An ad announces a sale giving us a chance to buy the most popular SUV in America today. • In a soft drink ad, a crowd of young people follow a young woman on skates who is drinking a diet soda. The ads imply that if you don’t jump on the bandwagon and get on the winning side, the parade will pass you by.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 1 Bandwagon Which statement below uses bandwagon appeal? A. A beautiful woman in a slinky red dress is shown driving the sponsor’s car. B. An ad for a weight-loss pill features an attractive couple who are “just two of the millions” who have decided to get their bodies back with the new diet formula.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 1 Bandwagon Which statement below uses bandwagon appeal? A. A beautiful woman in a slinky red dress is shown driving the sponsor’s car. 3 B. An ad for a weight-loss pill features an attractive couple who are “just two of the millions” who have decided to get their bodies back with the new diet formula. The phrase just two of the millions alerts us to the bandwagon technique. The ad suggests that you, too, should use this pill the way millions of others have.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda 2 Testimonial The idea behind the testimonial approach is that the testimony of famous people influences the viewers that admire these people.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 2 Testimonial Here are two examples of real ads that use the appeal of testimonials: • A famous actor is shown coping with a swarm of photographers in order to get a bottle of his favorite beer. • A popular TV talk show host appears in an ad that indicates she uses a certain credit card. The fame of the actor and of the talk show host is intended to influence us to use the products they are endorsing.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 2 Testimonial Which ad below uses a testimonial? A. Numerous people crowd around the department store door, waiting for the store to open. B. A famous actress says that she loves to use a certain hair coloring.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 2 Testimonial Which ad below uses a testimonial? A. Numerous people crowd around the department store door, waiting for the store to open. 3 B. A famous actress says that she loves to use a certain hair coloring. B is a testimonial because a “famous actress” is endorsing the product.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda 3 Transfer The most common type of propaganda technique is transfer, in which products or candidates try to associate themselves with something that people admire or love.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 3 Transfer The picture you saw at the beginning of this section is an example of transfer. The candidate is hoping that the positive feelings we have toward the sexy-looking beauty queen and the patriotism stirred in us by the American flag and the U. S. A. banner will be transferred to him and get us to vote for him.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 3 Transfer Which ad below uses transfer? A. A beer company sponsors the Daytona 500 auto race with the line “America’s Race and America’s Beer. ” B. A picture of a can of soda bears the caption, “You know it’s got to be good. ”

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 3 Transfer Which ad below uses transfer? 3 A. A beer company sponsors the Daytona 500 auto race with the line “America’s Race and America’s Beer. ” B. A picture of a can of soda bears the caption, “You know it’s got to be good. ” The word America’s signals the transfer technique.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda 4 Plain Folks In the plain folks technique, powerful people Political present themselves as ordinary, average citizens. candidates often use the plain folks technique. Similarly, the presidents of some companies appear in their own ads, trying to show that their giant corporations are just family businesses run by ordinary folks.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 4 Plain Folks Here are two examples of real ads that have used the appeal of plain folks: • Average-looking American kids are shown at home trying and enjoying a cereal. • The president of a poultry company talks to us as if he’s an everyday shopper looking for a quick, easy meal to make, just like us. In the first ad, the cereal company wants to show us that its product is enjoyed by average kids just like ours. In the second ad, the president of the poultry company wants us to see that he’s just an average guy who shops for dinner just like we do.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 4 Plain Folks Which ad below uses a plain folks approach? A. A famous basketball player wears the sponsor’s sneakers. B. The president of a car company is shown playing on the lawn with his young children. He says, “I’m head of this company, but I’m also a dad who is concerned about automobile safety. ”

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 4 Plain Folks Which ad below uses a plain folks approach? A. A famous basketball player wears the sponsor’s sneakers. 3 B. The president of a car company is shown playing on the lawn with his young children. He says, “I’m head of this company, but I’m also a dad who is concerned about automobile safety. ” The president of the company is showing that he is a regular family guy.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda 5 Name Calling Name calling is the use of emotionally loaded language or negative comments to turn people against a product or political candidate or cause.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 5 Name Calling Here are two examples of name calling taken from real life: • In the 1950 s, during the early days of the “cold war” with the Soviet Union, an exaggerated concern about communism in this country brought charges of un-Americanism against • many. During a taste test, consumers described the other leading brand of spaghetti sauce as “too salty” and “thin and tasteless. ” Saying someone is “un-American” is name calling. So is saying the sauce is “thin and tasteless. ”

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 5 Name Calling Which ad below uses name calling? A. A political ad implies that a candidate who does not support the war in Afghanistan is anti-American. B. A pastor describes how when his house burned down, his home insurance company responded quickly and helpfully.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 5 Name Calling Which ad below uses name calling? 3 A. A political ad implies that a candidate who does not support the war in Afghanistan is anti-American. B. A pastor describes how when his house burned down, his home insurance company responded quickly and helpfully. Suggesting someone is anti-American for such a reason is name calling.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda 6 Glittering Generalities A glittering generality is an important-sounding but unspecific claim about some product, candidate, or cause. The claim uses fine and virtuous words but says nothing definite.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 6 Glittering Generalities Here are two examples of real ads that use glittering generalities: • A room deodorizer exclaims, “Experience the freshness!” • A canned-food ad boasts of “nutrition that works. ” The statements Experience the freshness and nutrition that works sound important but tell us nothing about the products.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 6 Glittering Generalities Which ad below uses a glittering generality? A. A car ad claims, “It just feels right. ” B. A movie star looks over her dark sunglasses and says, “Maybe you can’t be a celebrity. But you can look like one in glasses like mine. ”

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Detecting Propaganda / 6 Glittering Generalities Which ad below uses a glittering generality? 3 A. A car ad claims, “It just feels right. ” B. A movie star looks over her dark sunglasses and says, “Maybe you can’t be a celebrity. But you can look like one in glasses like mine. ” The statement in the car ad tells us nothing definite about the car.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning Fallacies are errors in reasoning that take the place of the real support needed in an argument. The result is a poorly supported argument.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning A valid point is based on a rock-like foundation of solid support. A fallacious point is based on a house of cards that offers no real support at all.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning You have already seen two common fallacies that were discussed in Chapter 8, “Argument”: l Changing the subject distracts us from the issue by presenting irrelevant support that actually has nothing to do with the argument. l Hasty generalization is a fallacy in which a point has inadequate support. Drawing a conclusion based on insufficient evidence is the same as making a hasty generalization.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning This section will introduce you to six other common fallacies: Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue Circular Reasoning l Personal Attack l l Straw Man Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue l False Cause l False Comparison l Either-Or In all of these fallacies, a point is argued, but no true support is offered for that point.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue Circular Reasoning Part of a point cannot reasonably be used as The fallacy of including such evidence to support it. illogical evidence is called circular reasoning or begging the question.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue / Circular Reasoning Here is a simple example of such reasoning: • Alan Gordon is a great manager because he is so wonderful at managing. The supporting reason (“he is so wonderful at managing”) is really the same as the conclusion (“Alan Gordon is a great manager”). No real reasons have been given—the statement has merely repeated itself.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue / Circular Reasoning • Alan Gordon is a great manager he is so wonderful at managing. The supporting reason (“he is so wonderful at managing”) is really the same as the conclusion (“Alan Gordon is a great manager”). No real reasons have been given—the statement has merely repeated itself.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue / Circular Reasoning Which item contains an example of the circular reasoning fallacy? A. Exercise is healthful because it improves your well-being. B. Exercise is healthful because it reduces blood pressure, high cholesterol, and body fat.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue / Circular Reasoning Which item contains an example of the circular reasoning fallacy? 3 A. Exercise is healthful because it improves your well-being. B. Exercise is healthful because it reduces blood pressure, high cholesterol, and body fat. In effect, item A says that exercise is healthful because it improves your health. The two statements mean the same thing.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue Personal Attack This fallacy involves an unfair personal attack It on an individual rather than on his or her position. ignores the issue under discussion and concentrates instead on the character of the opponent.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue / Personal Attack Here is an example of personal attack: • That woman should not be on a church committee. She just got divorced for the second time. A woman’s divorce or divorces have nothing to do with her ability to contribute to a church committee.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue / Personal Attack Which item contains an example of the personal attack fallacy? A. Our school guidance counselor should be asked to resign. She cursed at a student last week. B. Our school guidance counselor should be asked to resign. One of her sons is gay.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue / Personal Attack Which item contains an example of the personal attack fallacy? A. Our school guidance counselor should be asked to resign. She cursed at a student last week. 3 B. Our school guidance counselor should be asked to resign. One of her sons is gay. Whether son is gay or not has nothing to do with the guidance counselor’s ability to perform her job.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue Straw Man The straw man fallacy suggests that an opponent favors an obviously unpopular cause— when the opponent really doesn’t support anything of the kind.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue / Straw Man Here is an example of straw man: • Senator Crosley supports a bill to limit the purchase of handguns. She wants to take guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens and put them into the hands of criminals! Senator Crosley does not, of course, want to put guns into the hands of criminals. But her opponent wants voters to think that she does and so misrepresents and falsifies her position.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue / Straw Man Which item contains an example of the straw man fallacy? A. My neighbors are voting against the new school budget. They want our students to fall behind students in developing nations like India and China. B. My neighbors are voting against the new school budget. They oppose the salary increases for the superintendent and his staff.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Ignore the Issue / Straw Man Which item contains an example of the straw man fallacy? 3 A. My neighbors are voting against the new school budget. They want our students to fall behind students in developing nations like India and China. B. My neighbors are voting against the new school budget. They oppose the salary increases for the superintendent and his staff. There may be valid reasons to vote against a new school budget. It is unlikely the neighbors would want the students to fall behind.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue False Cause The fallacy of false cause occurs when one assumes that because event B follows event A, event B was caused by event A.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / False Cause Consider this argument: • My favorite TV show was moved to a different time slot this season. No wonder it’s now getting canceled. But there could be reasons other than the move to a new time slot for the program’s getting canceled. Perhaps the show has less competent writers; perhaps a favorite actor has left the show.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / False Cause • My favorite TV show was moved to a different time slot this season. No wonder it’s now getting canceled. But there could be reasons other than the move to a new time slot for the program’s getting canceled. Perhaps the show has less competent writers; perhaps a favorite actor the show. It’s has easyleft but dangerous to assume that just because A came before B, A caused B.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / False Cause Which item contains an example of the fallacy of false cause? A. Many fast-food commercials on TV are hard to resist. That’s why I’ve gained a lot of weight. B. Many fast-food commercials on TV are hard to resist. If I’m not careful, I’ll eat too many burgers, shakes, and fries.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / False Cause Which item contains an example of the fallacy of false cause? 3 A. Many fast-food commercials on TV are hard to resist. That’s why I’ve gained a lot of weight. B. Many fast-food commercials on TV are hard to resist. If I’m not careful, I’ll eat too many burgers, shakes, and fries. There could be reasons for weight gain besides the power of commercials. Stress, lack of sleep, depression, and thyroid problems are just a few of the many possible causes.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue False Comparison In the error in reasoning known as false comparison, the assumption is that two things are more alike than they really are.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / False Comparison Consider this argument: • When your brother was your age, he was already married and raising a family. So why aren’t you married, Dean? To judge whether or not this is a false comparison, consider how the two situations are alike and how they differ.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / False Comparison • When your brother was your age, he was already married and raising a family. So why aren’t you married, Dean? The situations are similar in that both involve persons of the same age. But they are different in that Dean is an individual with choices and goals that are different from those of his brother. (For example, perhaps Dean wants to continue his education or focus on his career, or perhaps he has not met the right person yet. )

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / False Comparison • When your brother was your age, he was already married and raising a family. So why aren’t you married, Dean? The differences in this case are more important than the similarities, making it a false comparison.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / False Comparison Which item contains an example of the fallacy of false comparison? A. My dad takes an anti-depressant, so I don’t see what’s wrong with my smoking marijuana. B. My dad takes an anti-depressant, so I’m probably going to have a mood disorder some day.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / False Comparison Which item contains an example of the fallacy of false comparison? 3 A. My dad takes an anti-depressant, so I don’t see what’s wrong with my smoking marijuana. B. My dad takes an anti-depressant, so I’m probably going to have a mood disorder some day. The situations are very different. An anti-depressant is a doctor-prescribed medication. Generally speaking, marijuana is not.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue Either-Or It is often wrong to assume that there are only two sides to a question. Offering only two choices when more actually exist is an either-or fallacy. While some issues have only two sides, most have several.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / Either-Or Consider this argument: • Women must decide whether they want to have a career or have children. This argument fails to allow for other alternatives, such as working part-time or sharing child-rearing responsibilities with a partner.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / Either-Or Which item contains an example of the either-or fallacy? A. You’re ignoring my cat. You must be angry with me about something. B. You’re ignoring my cat. You must hate all animals.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading Recognizing Errors in Reasoning / Three Fallacies That Oversimplify the Issue / Either-Or Which item contains an example of the either-or fallacy? A. You’re ignoring my cat. You must be angry with me about something. 3 B. You’re ignoring my cat. You must hate all animals. There could be many reasons (other than hating all animals) that the person is ignoring the cat. For example, the person could be stressed about a situation at work or just focused on something else.

CHAPTER 9 Critical Reading