LSAT Practice Test

What fallacy is being committed when the argument suggests that if one event occurred before another, it must have caused it?

1. Post hoc fallacy

2. Red herring

3. Slippery slope fallacy

4. Tu quoque

The correct answer is: Post hoc fallacy

The correct answer is A. Post hoc fallacy. The post hoc fallacy, also known as false cause or correlation not causation, occurs when someone assumes that because one event preceded another, it must have caused it. This type of faulty reasoning overlooks the possibility of other factors or explanations for the observed relationship between the two events. In this case, the argument is flawed because it assumes causation based solely on the temporal sequence of events. Options B, C, and D are incorrect: B. Red herring is a type of fallacy where irrelevant information is introduced to divert attention from the real issue at hand. C. Slippery slope fallacy is when one asserts that a relatively small first step will inevitably lead to a chain of related events culminating in some significant impact. D. Tu quoque is a type of fallacy where one attempts to discredit the opponent's argument by attacking the opponent's consistency on the issue, rather than addressing the argument itself.