PRACTICE SCENARIOS FOR CHAPTER4

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Keiser University *

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2010

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Philosophy

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Dec 6, 2023

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PRACTICE SCENARIOS FOR CHAPTER FOUR EACH OF THE CASES PRESENTED BELOW CONTAIN AT LEAST ONE OF THE FALLACIES DISCUSSED IN THIS CHAPTER. FOR EACH CASE, NAME AT LEAST ONE FALLACY IT CONTAINS AND EXPLAIN HOW THE PERSON WHO COMMITTED THE FALLACY MIGHT HAVE AVOIDED IT. THAT IS, EXPLAIN HOW THIS PERSON COULD HAVE MORE EFFECTIVELY DEALT WITH HIS OR HER SITUATION. 1. Victor and Victoria have been married for one year and recently have separated. Both Victor and Victoria miss one another and each secretly hopes the other will make the first move so that they can get back together. One day Victor pays Victoria a visit. Victor asks Victoria to get back together and here is her response: Victoria: "How dare you think that I will come running back to you the minute you snap your fingers! Please leave this instant." Answer: Opposite Meaning. Victoria should have been more open to Victor about her feelings and their situation. Now Victor thinks Victoria does not want to be with him, when she actually does want to be with him because she is using opposite meaning. This could have went another way. It doesn’t say that Victor shared his feelings. It only says he asked Victoria to get back together with him. Her reaction in my opinion, although opposite of what she truly meant, reacted out of hurt from their split. If they were both honest about their feelings, they could have had a genuine conversation about their relationship. 2. John's wife has recently divorced him and he is de- pressed. He says the following to his counselor: John: "Ever since I can remember, life has played cruel tricks on me. I thought I had a wife who really cared but that was just another one of life's teases. I was just set up just to be knocked down." Answer: Personifying John is personifying “life” as if life can be cruel and play tricks on him. John needs to take responsibility for his own actions instead of blaming everything else except himself. Once he stops blaming life and starts owning up to his own actions, he will understand the problems in his relationship leading to why his wife divorced him.

*3 . James and his girlfriend, Sherry, had a quarrel. When Sherry told James that she never wanted to see him again, he began to cry. In what follows, James discusses the matter with his good friend, Curt: James: "I just don't know what came over me. When she said we were through, I just couldn't hold back the tears. I cried just like a woman. A man is not supposed to cry like that. What kind of a man am I anyway. Imagine what Sherry thinks of me now!" Curt: "Maybe Sherry will change her mind. Some women like sensitive men." James: "Sensitive men, my eye. A man who bawls like that is no man at all." Answer: Self-Evidence Fallacy James is judging from his own belief that men aren’t allowed to cry. In this case, Curt should have educated James that not all men have to always be tough and that it is okay to be sensitive. It is better to express your emotions rather than hold them in just because society has conditioned men to think this way. 4. Here is how Karen describes her husband to her counselor: Karen: "My husband has what I call his "dark moods." When he has them, I try my best to keep my distance from him." Answer: Vague Terms Karen is not giving enough information to the meaning of “dark moods.” There are many reasons why someone could be in a “dark mood”. It could be sadness, violence, lonely, or even stress. Karen should be more open to what her husband does that causes his “dark moods”. 5. Bob: "Are you angry at me?" Bob's Girlfriend (speaking with sarcasm): "Me? Angry? Now why in the world would I be angry at you." Answer: Opposite Meaning Bobs girlfriend is not being consistent to what she really means. She should have told him the truth instead of being sarcastic. Now, Bob will be confused, and this can cause more problems in their relationship from not being honest with him about how she truly felt. 6. Lyle has a heart condition. His wife Laura thinks that Lyle takes advantage of her by asking her to do too many things for him that he can do by himself. Here is a 56 conversation between the two:

Lyle: "Where's my supper?" Laura: "It's in the oven. Why don't you take it yourself." Lyle: "Can't you serve it? I need to sit down and rest. I feel sick." Laura: "Sick again. You sure are sick! Sick, Sick, Sick! If you're so sick, why don't you see a psychiatrist." Answer: Switching Meaning Laura has switched the meaning of “sick”. She uses “sick” as a mental illness instead of how Lyle actually feels which is physically ill. Laura needs to learn the difference between mental illness and physical illness to better understand her husband’s pain. 7. "A real wife must have supper on the table before her husband comes home." Answer: Self-Evidence Fallacy This is self-evidence fallacy because although a traditional way of living, this is not necessarily true for other spouses. Assuming a “real wife” means she must have supper on the table for her husband. *8. Carla has chronic bronchitis, which is aggravated by inhaling cigarette smoke. Recently, she has accepted a new job as an Executive Secretary to The Vice President of a large corporation. However, she later finds out that The Vice President smokes. Here is a discussion between the two on the first day of Carla's employment when she first finds out about her new boss's smoking habit: Vice President: Do you mind if I smoke while I dictate this letter? Carla: "You smoke." Vice President: "That's right. Several packs a day. Been smoking since I'm a kid. Can't seem to kick the habit. Do you mind?" Carla: "Well [she then coughs], yes. I mean no, go ahead. I don't mind." Vice President: "Are you sure?" Carla: "Yes [she coughs again], it's OK." Vice President: "Good because my last secretary wouldn't let me smoke around her. Let's get started, shall we?" Carla: "Yes, let's."

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Answer: Opposite Meaning Carla is saying it is okay for the Vice President to smoke around her knowing it could cause serious damage to her lungs with her chronic bronchitis. She is saying it is okay because she wants to keep her job. In reality, Carla needs to let the Vice President know that she has chronic bronchitis because her health is more important than any job. 9. Laura: "Johnny is always there when I need him. He is really a beautiful person." Laura's Friend: "Beautiful? He might be a nice guy and all, but he's not much to look at." Answer: Switching Meanings. Laura is switching the word “beautiful” into a quality of Johnny. It’s not that she means he is “good looking” but he is a “beautiful” person inside. Laura could have said Johnny has good qualities about himself. For example, Johnny is a respectable person. Or, Johnny is a positive and caring person. 10. Here is a discussion between two students, Justin and Larry, who meet in passing: Justin: "How's your semester been treating you?" Larry: "Not very well. That algebra is really wicked. It has been playing havoc with me from day one." Answer: Personifying Larry is saying that algebra has the ability to be wicked and cause havoc on him. Algebra can be hard but it cannot have a human emotion of being evil. For example, Larry could have said “Algebra is hard for me to learn.” With that being said, Larry has the option to study with a tutor so algebra won’t be “wicked”. *11. In what follows, Shelly comments to her friend, Stacey, about Paul, a man she dated last Saturday night for the first time: Stacey: "What did you think of Paul?" Shelly: "He seems very nice but he has very strange ideas about life." Stacey: "Strange?" Shelly: "You know, weird, peculiar, way out. I really don't think I could ever go with a man like that. I think I would be better off with someone who is more

down to earth, someone more like the way I am. You know?" Stacey: "Then why don't you call Bob. He's a real down to earth guy. If you ask me, he's a real catch." Shelly: "I just might do that. What's his number?" Answer: Vague Meaning I believe Shelly is using vague terms. She is saying that he has “strange ideas about life” and saying that Bob is “a real down to earth guy”, but what is her idea of “strange” and “down to earth”? Shelly should mention to Stacey what it is that makes his way of life, strange and what makes Bob so different from Paul. 12. "It took me so long to find the ketchup in my refrigerator. I finally found it hiding behind the bread." Answer: Personifying Ketchup does not have the ability to hide. You can misplace where you put the ketchup, but it does not have the human ability to hide. Saying, “I misplaced the ketchup and don’t remember where I put it” instead of saying the ketchup is hiding. 13. Ken: "Let's do something fun." Ken's Mate: "Sure, what would you like to do?" Ken: "I don't know, let's just have fun." Answer: Vague Terms There is not enough information to know exactly what Ken thinks is “fun.” Ken should have a few options to what it is that he likes to do because someone else could consider his “fun” to be not fun for them. Kens idea of fun could be bike riding while Ken’s mate may not know how to ride a bike and may not be fun for him. 14. Clark is a college student who is considering dropping out of college in order to support himself. While he has some wealthy relatives, Clark does not want to ask them for any financial help. Here is a conversation he has with one of his professors: Clark: "I don't want to ask anybody for help" Professor: "Why not?" Clark: "Because then I won't make it on my own." Professor: "So what?" Clark: "Then I won't deserve what I get."

Professor: "Why is that?" Clark: "Because people who don't make it on their own just don't deserve anything they get." Professor: "Is that necessarily true?" Clark: "Yes, people have to make it on their own." Answer: Self-Evidence Fallacy Clark believes that in order to be successful, you have to do everything on your own. This statement isn’t necessarily true. No one in life could be successful without someone to either look up to, ask for advice, watching an inspirational speaker, or so much more. Clark should be open to different perspectives of what it means to be successful. 15. A mother who is having difficulties getting her children to obey her says the following: Mother: "All other things do what they're supposed to do. Birds fly south for the winter and the earth revolves around the sun. These things just do what they're supposed to do and without even being told. Why, then, don't my kids do what they're supposed to do?" Answer: Vague Terms This mother isn’t giving direct information to what her kids are supposed to do. What is her meaning of “why, then, don’t my kids do what they’re supposed to do?” She could be more specific as in, her kids are supposed to do the dishes or clean their rooms. *16. Bert is feeling depressed. Here is what he tells his friend: Bert: "Both of my cars are broken again. I swear, they must have planned this, just to torment me. Life is just closing in on me. I'm growing tired of fighting a losing battle. My job is a real bitch. The new house I bought just won't leave me alone. Everyday something else is the matter with it. I am sick and tired of being a slave to it. Things have just got me by the throat, and they just won't let go." Answer: Personifying

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Bert is blaming his cars, life, and job instead of taking responsibility for himself. His cars didn’t decide together to break down, life isn’t closing in on him and he is capable of leaving a job that doesn’t suit him. Bert could look into new job opportunities, look at the positive side of his house, as in, he has a roof over his head, and stop blaming everything that is going wrong in his life for why life is “closing in on him.” 17. Mr. Presser, a high school math teacher, is sitting at his desk reading a book while his class works on an assignment. James, a student in the class, approaches Mr. Presser and inquires about the grade on a test that he had made up last week: 58 James: "Did you grade my make-up exam yet, Mr. Presser? Mr. Presser: "I sure did." James: "What grade did I get on it? Could you look in your gradebook?" Mr. Presser: "No, I don't have time, but don't worry, you did alright." James: "But, Mr. Presser." Mr. Presser: "Look, I told you that you did alright. Now go back to your seat and finish your assignment." Answer: Vague Terms Mr. Presser is not giving James a clear understanding of his grade. Saying, “you did alright” could mean that you did enough to pass, or it could mean that he did a good job. Another way Mr. Presser could have handled the situation is by telling James to come back at a more available time to discuss his grade on the exam. 18. Lenny and Gerta are two high school freshmen in Mrs. Weiner's geography class. Gerta has been trying to transfer out of her class because she believes that she is not "learning anything" in this class. Here is a discussion between Lenny and Gerta: Lenny: "How do you like Mrs. Weiner's class so far?" Gerta: "Oh, I'm just crazy about her class. She's a true scholar. They ought to place her name in the history books along with Albert Einstein and Socrates." Answer: Opposite Meaning Gerta does not like Mrs. Weiner’s class and says she isn’t learning anything. She was being sarcastic to Lenny. With her response, Lenny could have taken it as, her class is actually really good, and Mrs. Weiner has good teaching skills. By her response, if Mrs. Weiner’s class isn’t teaching well,

Lenny could have taken what Gerta said literal and find himself in the same situation as her. 19. Here is a statement that appeared in a letter received by the Welfare Department in application for support: "I want money as quick as I can get it. I have been in bed with the doctor for two weeks and he doesn't do me any good. If things don't improve, I will have to send for another doctor." Answer: Vague Terms This statement doesn’t say why the doctor isn’t doing that person any good. Is it that this person doesn’t like the doctors attitude? Or is he not as educated as other doctors? There could be many reasons why this doctor isn’t doing his patient any good. So, in order for this patient to receive their money, I’m sure they would need to have good reason and explanation to why he or she needs a new doctor.

PRACTICE SCENARIOS FOR CHAPTER4

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