Question

Which logical fallacy is exemplified by the statement, "Joey was at the scene of the crime when the police arrived, therefore Joey committed the crime?"

1) the post hoc fallacy
2) appeal to tradition
3) hasty generalization
4) the slothful induction

Answer 1

The logical fallacy exemplified in the statement, 'Joey was at the scene of the crime when the police arrived, therefore Joey committed the crime,' is hasty generalization, which is a fallacy of weak induction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The logical fallacy exemplified in the statement, 'Joey was at the scene of the crime when the police arrived, therefore Joey committed the crime,' is hasty generalization, which is a fallacy of weak induction. A hasty generalization occurs when a person draws a conclusion using too little evidence to support the conclusion. In this case, the assumption that Joey committed the crime is made solely based on his presence at the scene without considering other possible explanations.