PHIL 447 ESSSAY Questions For Final Exam

I need help answering the following passages within 2 hours!!!!

1. Here is a passage that contains a rhetorical fallacy. Name the fallacy, and in a paragraph, explain why the argument is irrelevant to the point of the passage. Here is your example for this question:

Republican says, "What do you think of our party's new plan for Medicare?"
Democrat says, "I think it is pretty good, as a matter of fact."
Republican, "Oh? Why is that?"
Democrat, "Because you Republicans haven't even offered a plan, that's why!" (Points: 15)

2. (TCOs 5, 8) In the example below, identify the presumed cause and the presumed effect. Does the example contain or imply a causal claim, a hypothesis, or an explanation that cannot be tested? If it does fall into one of those categories, tell whether the problem is due to vagueness, circularity, or some other problem of language. Also, tell whether there might be some way to test the situation if it is possible at all. Here is your example:

This part of the coastline is subject to mudslides because there is a lack of mature vegetation growing on it. (Points : 15)

3.(TCOs 2, 4) Explain in what way the thinking of the following statement is wrong or defective. Give reasons for your judgment.

I believe that violent video games contribute to sexual violence and other forms of anti-social behavior. No one has ever shown that it doesn’t. (Points : 10)

4.(TCOs 3, 9) Can a person belong to more than one culture at the same time? If so, does this create any logical difficulty for moral relativists? (Points : 10)

5. (TCOs 6, 7, 9) Here is a short essay about an investigation.
Research at the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia indicates that children who sleep in a dimly lit room until age two may be up to five times more likely to develop myopia (nearsightedness) when they grow up. The researchers asked the parents of children who had been patients at the researchers' eye clinic to recall the lighting conditions in the children's bedroom from birth to age two.
Of a total of 172 children who slept in darkness, 10% were nearsighted. Of a total of 232 who slept with a night light, 34% were nearsighted. Of a total of 75 who slept with a lamp on, 55% were nearsighted.
The lead ophthalmologist, Dr. Graham, E. Quinn, said that "just as the body needs to rest, this suggests that the eyes need a period of darkness."

There are also four questions/tasks; write a paragraph to answer each one of them.
(1) Identify the causal hypothesis at issue.
(2) Identify what kind of investigation it is.
(3) There are control and experimental groups. State the difference in effect (or cause) between the control and experimental groups.
(4) State the conclusion that you think is warranted by the report. (Points : 30)

6. TCOs 3, 4, 6) Read this passage below. When you have done so, answer these three questions, writing a paragraph for each question.
Another quality that makes [Texas Republican and former Congressman] Tom DeLay an un-Texas politician is that he's mean. By and large, Texas pols are an agreeable set of less-than-perfect humans and quite often well-intentioned. As Carl Parker of Port Arthur used to observe, if you took all the fools out of the [legislature], it would not be a representative body any longer. The old sense of collegiality was strong, and vindictive behavior punishing pols for partisan reasons was simply not done. But those are Tom DeLay's specialties, his trademarks. The Hammer is not only genuinely feared in Washington, he is, I'm sorry to say, hated.
-excerpt from a column by Molly Ivins, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

(1). What issue is the author addressing?
(2). If the author is supporting a position with an argument, restate the argument in your own words.
(3) What rhetorical devices does the author employ in this text?

A.
(1) Issue: Whether DeLay is mean and not in line with normal behavior among Texas politicians.
(2) Position taken: Delay is mean and is not like other Texas politicians.
(3) One claim defines “vindictive behavior” and then another claim is made that DeLay often behaves vindictively, whereas most other Texas politicians do not.
(4) “By and large” and “quite often” might be taken as weaselers. “The Hammer” is a dysphemism.(Points : 30)