Phil 125 F10: Final Exam Study Guide

For the final exam you may bring in one 8 1/2" by 11" sheet of paper with any notes you will need. You may use both sides of the sheet, but you must be able to read it with an unaided eye. 

You should know the following fallacies and slanters. 


I.    Fallacies of Relevance
    a.    Appeal to Emotion
        i.    Appeal to pity
    b.    Red Herring
    c.    Straw Man
    d.    Attack on the Person (Argument ad hominem)
        i.    Abusive
        ii.   Circumstantial
    e.    Appeal to Force
    f.    Missing the Point
II.    Fallacies of Defective Induction
    a.    Ignorance
    b.    Appeal to Inappropriate Authority
    c.    False Cause
        i.    Post hoc ergo propter hoc
        ii.    Slippery slope
    d.    Hasty Generalization
III.    Fallacies of Presumption
    a.    Accident
    b.    Complex Question
    c.    Begging the Question
IV.    Fallacies of Ambiguity
    a.    Equivocation
    b.    Amphiboly
    c.    Accent
    d.    Composition
    e.    Division
V. Slanters
    a. Euphemism
    b. Dysphemism
    c. Rhetorical Definition
    d. Stereotype
    e. Innuendo
    f. Weaseler
    g. Downplayer
    h. Ridicule
    i. Proof Surrogate
    j. Rhetorical Analogy

You should be able to match the name of the fallacy or slanter to its definition.
You should be able to identify the fallacy or slanter committed in a passage that you read.

In addition to the fallacies, you should be able to perform the following tasks:

  • Explain how to evaluate the credibility of a claim.
  • Provide examples of Mainstream Media and explain the five filters that influence the content of the MSM.
  • Provide examples of Alternative Media an explain some of the issues that arise in assessing the credibility of claims form this source.
  • Explain the five features we would expect of any good scientific explanation.
  • Describe the seven steps used to develop and confirm hypotheses.
  • Explain the three criteria scientists use to decide among competing hypotheses.
  • Articulate the five features of Darwin's Theory of Evolution.
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