McqkartGet appPractise

'If you read Professor Harry's book, you should be able to recognize and successfully attack fallacious reasoning, and you are able to do that. Therefore, you must have read Professor Harry's book.' Which formal fallacy is committed in the above argument?

ADenying the antecedent
BAffirming the consequent ✓ Correct
CExistentialist fallacy
DUndistributed middle
Correct answer: (B) Affirming the consequent
Explanation

The argument affirms the consequent.

Its form is: if you read the book (P), then you can attack fallacies (Q).

The premise affirms Q, that you can attack fallacies.

From Q it concludes P, that you read the book.

The ability could arise otherwise, so P does not follow.

Inferring P from a conditional plus Q is affirming the consequent.

Want more like this? Create a free account to practise a full test, track your progress, and get spaced-repetition review.

Practise on Mcqkart →🎓 Book an expert →