Denying the Antecedent: Review the topic on workplace scenariosanswer questions and there is a example to help you.
Topic Selection Examples
Chosen Fallacy: Denying the Antecedent
Pattern of fallacy
If P then Q
It is not the case P
Therefore, it is not the case Q
Workplace Scenario
If Paul gets a raise, then Quinn willget a raise too.
Paul did not get a raise.
Quinn did not get a raise either.
While this may seem like a good argument it is an example of thefallacy of denying the antecedent. The statement “If Paul gets araise, then Quinn will too” tells us one way that Quinn might get araise. She will get one if Paul does. But it does not mean that isthe only way Quinn will get a raise. All we have learned is thatQuinn will get a raise if Paul does. But we have not learnedanything about what will happen if Paul does not get a raise.
A.) Denying the Antecedent -- the formal fallacy that occurswhen we have an if/then statement and the when the “if” part of thestatement is not true (antecedent) the we assume that the “then”part (consequent) is not true.
Logical Form:
If P, then Q.
Not P.
Therefore, not Q.
Example: If I go swimming in my clothes,my clothes will be wet. I didn’t go swimming in my clothes.Therefore, my clothes are not wet.
In this example, we can see that while it is true that if I goswimming in my clothes they will get wet, the fact that I don’t goswimming won’t necessarily keep my clothes dry. For example, if itis raining outside and I walk to my car without an umbrella, myclothes might also get wet.
Workplace Scenarios:
- If the nurse is on time for her shift, the medications will beadministered on time. The nurse was late for her shift. Therefore,the medications were not administered on time.
- If I increase my withholdings, I will receive a refund on mytaxes. I didn’t increase my withholdings. Therefore, I didn’t get arefund.
- If we raise our bid on the contract, we will be successful inacquiring the job. We didn’t raise our bid. We lost the job.
- If our client receives a sentence of community service, then hewill volunteer at the youth center. He didn’t receive a sentence ofcommunity service. Therefore, he will not volunteer at the youthcenter.
- You may choose your own work place scenario, but it must followthe pattern given above.
