Question

A. He refused to testify by invoking his Fifth Amendment​ rights, so he must be guilty. a. Identify the premise and conclusion of the argument. Choose the correct answer below.

A. ​Premise: He refused to testify by invoking his Fifth Amendment rights.​ Conclusion: He may not be guilty.
B. ​Premise: He may not be guilty.​ Conclusion: He refused to testify by invoking his Fifth Amendment rights.
C. ​Premise: He refused to testify by invoking his Fifth Amendment rights.​ Conclusion: He must be guilty.
D. ​Premise: He must be guilty.​ Conclusion: He refused to testify by invoking his Fifth Amendment rights.
b. Briefly describe how the stated fallacy occurs in the argument.
Choose the correct answer below.
A. The conclusion is stated to invoke an emotional response.
B. The conclusion is stated as if it were the only possible conclusion.
C. The conclusion is stated as if it were caused by the premise.
D. The conclusion is stated as the opposite as the premise.

Answer 1

a) C.

b) B.

Explanation:

Remember that the premise is a statement that will led to a conclusion and justifies it.

a) In the sentence "He refused to testify by invoking his Fifth Amendment​ rights, so he must be guilty" the premise is: "He refused to testify by invoking his Fifth Amendment rights" because it follows from this that, therefore, he must be guilty (by not testifying, the person who said this reaches the conclusion that he must be guilty).

Thus, the correct answer is C.

b) Briefly describe how the stated fallacy occurs in the argument.

In this argument, the conclusion leaves no place for another outcome (because the conclusion is that he MUST be guilty), therefore it is stated as if being guilty is the only possible conclusion.

Thus, the correct answer is B.