"Whoever thrusts a knife into another person should be arrested. Surgeons thrust a knife into another person when operating. Therefore surgeons should be arrested." Which fallacy is committed in the argument?
AHasty generalization
BFallacy of accident ✓ Correct
CRed herring
DAppeal to unqualified authority
Correct answer: (B) Fallacy of accident
Explanation
A general rule is applied to a special case it was never meant to cover, the fallacy of accident.
The rule that knife-thrusting deserves arrest is framed for harmful attacks.
A surgeon's incision is an accidental circumstance that falls outside its intent.
The argument ignores this exception and applies the rule rigidly.
Forcing a broad generalisation onto an atypical instance yields the absurd conclusion.
This misuse of dicto simpliciter is the fallacy of accident.
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