Given below are two statements: Statement I: Formal fallacies are those that…
2023
Given below are two statements:
Statement I: Formal fallacies are those that can be detected only through analysis of the content of the arguments.
Statement II: Formal fallacies pertain to deductive arguments that have identifiable forms.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
Answer: D. Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct — ConceptA formal fallacy is an error in the logical structure of a deductive argument. It can be identified from the argument form without relying on the…
- A.
Both Statement I and Statement II are correct
- B.
Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect
- C.
Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
- D.
Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept
A formal fallacy is an error in the logical structure of a deductive argument. It can be identified from the argument form without relying on the particular subject matter.
By contrast, an informal fallacy is typically identified through meaning, context, relevance, ambiguity, or other content-sensitive features.
Application
Statement I assigns content-only analysis to formal fallacies. That criterion belongs to informal fallacies, so Statement I is incorrect.
Statement II connects formal fallacies with deductive arguments having identifiable forms. That is the defining structural feature, so Statement II is correct.
Contrast
Both statements correct: this treats the content criterion and the form criterion as descriptions of the same class.
Both statements incorrect: this discards the valid connection between formal fallacies and deductive form.
Statement I correct, Statement II incorrect: this reverses the formal-versus-informal distinction.
Statement I incorrect, Statement II correct: this preserves the distinction between content-sensitive and form-based fallacies.
Result
Therefore, Statement I is incorrect and Statement II is correct.