Asked by Alexander Sanchez on Jul 17, 2024
Verified
Consider this argument: "The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that there were 30,800 motor vehicle fatalities in 2012. Of those 4,957 were motorcyclist fatalities. This means that driving or riding in a car or a truck is six times more dangerous than riding a motorcycle." That argument is an example of ________.
A) the Gambler's Fallacy
B) the fallacy of Playing with Numbers
C) a fallacy of Erroneous Generalization
D) a warranted argument
E) a valid argument
Motor Vehicle Fatalities
The deaths resulting from accidents or collisions involving motor vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, and trucks.
Playing with Numbers
The act of manipulating data and statistics in a way that misleads or confuses the audience, often to support a particular argument or viewpoint.
- Master the identification and understanding of distinct fallacies in argumentation.
- Identify the misuse of numbers in arguments and the importance of using appropriate descriptive measures.
Verified Answer
TJ
Tyrone JohnsonJul 23, 2024
Final Answer :
B
Explanation :
The argument misinterprets the data by suggesting that driving or riding in a car or truck is six times more dangerous than riding a motorcycle, based on the number of fatalities alone, without considering the total number of cars, trucks, and motorcycles on the road or the total miles driven/ridden. This manipulation of numbers to support a misleading conclusion is an example of the fallacy of Playing with Numbers.
Learning Objectives
- Master the identification and understanding of distinct fallacies in argumentation.
- Identify the misuse of numbers in arguments and the importance of using appropriate descriptive measures.
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