1.  Grace Mugwe
 Assa Mbegera
 Anis Mahmoud
 Cyrus Chengo
 Alex Kariuki
 Timothy Njoroge
 Susan Lekanayia

2. For each of the Logical Fallacies assigned, undertake the
following:
 Provide a detailed definition;
 Provide 2-3 examples;
 Formulate at least one creative activity that will
reinforce the understanding of the fallacies.

3.  Also referred to as “Argumentum ad Verecundiam”
– argument from modesty.
 Involves making the assumption that because an
authority thinks something, or is of a particular
opinion, it must therefore be true.
 Thus to overcome the effects of this fallacy one must
defend one’s assertions on their merits in order to
form a valid argument, i.e. know why the person in
authority holds the particular position that they do.

4.  Felix claims that the theory of Evolution is untrue, but he
is himself not in a position to defend this assertion, so he
then goes on to say that his disbelief in Evolution is based
simply on the opinion of a Scientist X he knows who also
questions the theory. Felix is unable to furnish us with
conclusive unequivocal proof as to why Scientist X holds
this opinion, leading us to conclude that the claim [in its
uncorroborated state] is likely false, and at the very least
unreliable.
 My doctor says she’s voting for the JUBILEE Candidate in
the Presidential Elections of 2017, so I will too.

5.  Divide yourselves into groups of 5 class-mates each
[according to the class setting] and openly discuss the
various forms of “Inappropriate Appeal to Authority”
that you have all encountered in every day life.
 Did any one (or all) of you feel/think you were
overwhelmed by the temptation to succumb to this
fallacy? If so, what can you do in future to avoid falling
inside the pit of this fallacy?

6.  Derived from the Latin equivalent ‘Ad Ignorantium’
(argument from ignorance).
 Also known as “Burden of Proof Fallacy”.
 Involves placing the burden of proving an argument
to be true, on the wrong side – that is, when a lack of
evidence for side A is taken to be evidence for side B
in cases in which the burden of proof actually rests
on side B.

7. (a) You cannot prove that God does not exist,
therefore He does.
(b) I’ve never seen an alien in my entire life, so they
must not exist.

8.  Kerubo: “I believe most people in our village practice
witchcraft.”
 Moraa: “Do you have any proof?”
 Kerubo: “Yes. No one has been able to prove that our
people do not practice witchcraft.”

9. This form of fallacy is synonymous with the following
terminologies:
 “Either/Or Fallacy”;
 “False Dilemma”;
 “False Dichotomy”;
 “Black & White Fallacy”;
 “Excluded Middle Fallacy”;
 “Bifurcation”.
This fallacy occurs when a writer builds an argument upon
the assumption that there are only two choices or
possible outcomes when actually there are several; it fails
to recognise that outcomes are seldom so simple.

10. A. Women – can’t live with them, can’t live without
them!
B. Kenya – love it or leave it!

11.  Fred: Hi Sylvia…wassup?
 Sylvia: Hey Mark, am ok. So, what’s happening? You
look a bit worried.
 Fred: I just don’t know what this world is coming to
nowadays, you know….
 Sylvia: What do you mean?
 Fred: Haven’t you noticed how fast Rwanda has grown
economically of late…? Doesn’t that bother you?
 Sylvia: No, I don’t see why.
 Fred: We must invade Rwanda, or else they’ll will soon
undermine our position as the economic hub of East
Africa.
 Sylvia: You’re crazy…!

12. 1. CRITICAL THINKING: Tools for Taking Charge of
Your Learning and Your Life (3rd ed.) – Richard
Paul & Linda Elder.
2. Critical Thinking (9th ed.) – Moore & Parker.
3. http://www.logicalfallacies.info/; last accessed on
16-11-2013.
4. http://www.fallacyfiles.org/taxonomy.html; last
accessed on 16-11-2013.