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Due to Tai's braces, he wasn't permitted to eat gum or hard candy. Occasionally, Tai popped a piece of gum in his mouth. When his mom warned him of the possible danger chewing gum could do to his braces, Tai replied, "Did you know that the first braces were made from animal skin?"

What type of logical fallacy is the above passage?

User Pietrodito
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1 Answer

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11 votes

Final answer:

The logical fallacy in the passage is a red herring, where Tai introduces an unrelated fact to divert from the issue of the dangers of chewing gum with braces.

Step-by-step explanation:

The logical fallacy in the passage where Tai replies to his mom's warning about the dangers of chewing gum with braces by stating that the first braces were made from animal skin is known as a red herring. This fallacy occurs when someone diverts the conversation to an unrelated topic in order to avoid addressing the original issue. Tai's response is irrelevant to the discussion about the dangers of chewing gum with braces and serves to distract from his mom's warning.

Red herring fallacies are commonly used in arguments to mislead or distract from the core issue. Recognizing these fallacies is crucial for maintaining a coherent and logical discussion. In this case, Tai's remark about the historical material of braces doesn't contribute to the discussion of why he shouldn't chew gum while wearing modern braces.

User Yi Ren
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