LSAT Practice Test

Which fallacy involves using an authority's opinion as a basis for truth without valid reasoning?

1. strawman

2. loaded question

3. begging the question

4. appeal to authority

The correct answer is: appeal to authority

The correct answer is appeal to authority because this fallacy occurs when someone relies on the opinion of an authority figure to establish the truth of a claim without providing any valid reasoning or evidence to support it. This type of argument is problematic because even though the authority may be an expert in their field, their opinion alone is not enough to prove the validity of a statement. It is important to always evaluate arguments based on the reasoning and evidence provided, rather than simply accepting something as true because an authority figure says it is. Options A, B, and C are different fallacies: - A strawman fallacy distorts an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack, misrepresenting it to make it easier to knock down. - A loaded question is a type of fallacy where the question is framed in a way that assumes something not explicitly stated or bypasses a critical step in an argument. - Begging the question is a fallacy where the premise of an argument assumes the truth of the conclusion, which is circular reasoning.