30 cardsLNAT
LNAT Fallacies, Tone Words and Legal Concepts
Thirty flashcards on common fallacies, tone and attitude words, and a few basic legal concepts that appear in argumentative passages. Study material written for practice.
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Ad hominem
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Terms in this deck (30)
1
Ad hominem
Attacking the person making an argument instead of the argument itself.
2
Straw man
Misrepresenting an opponent's position in a weaker form, then attacking that version.
3
Slippery slope
Claiming that one step will inevitably lead to a chain of worse steps, without showing why each step must follow.
4
Appeal to tradition
Arguing that something is good or right simply because it has long been done.
5
Appeal to popularity
Arguing that a claim is true or a policy is right because many people believe it or support it.
6
Appeal to authority
Relying on someone's status instead of evidence. It is weak when the authority is outside their field or when experts disagree.
7
Begging the question
Assuming the conclusion in a premise, so the argument goes in a circle.
8
Post hoc ergo propter hoc
Assuming that because B followed A, A caused B.
9
Equivocation
Using a word in two different senses within one argument, so the reasoning appears valid when it is not.
10
Hasty generalisation
Drawing a broad conclusion from too few or unrepresentative cases.
11
Tu quoque
Dismissing a criticism by pointing out that the critic does the same thing. It does not answer the criticism.
12
Red herring
Introducing an irrelevant point to distract from the issue being discussed.
13
Appeal to emotion
Persuading by arousing feeling, such as pity or fear, in place of giving reasons.
14
Composition and division
Composition assumes what is true of the parts is true of the whole; division assumes what is true of the whole is true of each part.
15
Survivorship bias
Drawing conclusions only from cases that survived or succeeded, and ignoring those that did not.
16
Irony
Saying the opposite of what is meant, or describing a situation so as to expose its absurdity. Often signalled by words such as 'naive' or 'convenient'.
17
Sarcasm
Bitter or mocking remarks, usually more openly hostile than irony.
18
Rhetorical question
A question asked for effect, not to get an answer, usually to suggest that the answer is obvious.
19
Understatement
Describing something as less important than it is, for emphasis or irony.
20
Hyperbole
Deliberate exaggeration for effect, not meant literally.
21
Measured tone
Careful, balanced writing that qualifies claims and acknowledges other views.
22
Sceptical
Doubting a claim and asking for evidence before accepting it.
23
Cynical
Believing that people act from selfish motives and treating claims of principle with distrust.
24
Dismissive
Treating something as unimportant or unworthy of serious consideration.
25
Ambivalent
Having mixed feelings or being undecided between two views.
26
Complacent
Satisfied with how things are, without sufficient concern for possible problems.
27
Mens rea and actus reus
Latin terms for the guilty mind and the guilty act. Most crimes need both; strict liability offences need no proof of mens rea.
28
Burden and standard of proof
In criminal trials the prosecution must prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. In civil cases the standard is the balance of probabilities.
29
Precedent (stare decisis)
The principle that courts follow earlier decisions of higher courts on the same legal point, so that like cases are treated alike.
30
Rule of law
The principle that everyone, including the government, is subject to law that is public, stable and applied fairly by independent courts.
LNAT in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, LNAT is part of: University entry tests.
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