Question

Which excerpt from the text is the most evident example of fallacious reasoning?

Answer 1

The most evident example of fallacious reasoning is the second excerpt:  “Both of these boys are in the adolescent age, both these boys whom every alienist in this case on both sides tells you is the most trying period in the life of a child…” 

The second excerpt is an example of the type of fallacious reasoning called “Ad Hominem” or “Bandwagon Appeal.”  This type of fallacious reasoning is when there is an attempt to convince readers/audience members by communicating that everyone else already believes something, so they should “jump on the bandwagon” and allow themselves to be persuaded.  We can see how within the excerpt this is done with the words “every alienist in this case on both sides tells you…”