Logical Fallacies

Take a Look at These Examlpes: What’s wrong with these arguments?

What are logical fallacies? Logical Fallacies occur in arguments that are flawed by their very structure Use faulty reasoning of some kind Can hurt everyone involved Make productive argument more difficult Mess up the frank but civil conversations people should be able to have (regardless of differences) Can be a powerful tool Important to recognize them and point them out in the works of others Avoid them in your own writing

Fallacies of Emotional Argument Pathos

How is this an example of Scare Tactics? Scares people and exaggerates possible dangers well beyond their statistical likelihood Stampede legitimate fears into panic or prejudice Close off thinking People who are scared often act irrationally People will stop listening How is this an example of Scare Tactics?

How is this an example of Either – Or Choices? Reduces complicated issues/topics to just two options, one preferable to the other Can be well-intentioned Parents to child Becomes a fallacy when: Reduce a complicated issue to excessively simple terms Designed to obscure legitimate alternatives How is this an example of Either – Or Choices?

How is this an example of Slippery Slope? States today’s small misstep as tomorrow’s disaster Discusses exaggerated consequences of actions Usually to frighten Slippery Slope also scare tactics Actions and ideas DO have consequences, but they are not so dire How is this an example of Slippery Slope?

4. Overly Sentimental Appeals The use of excessive tender emotions to distract the reader from facts/evidence Highly personal and individual and focus attention on heartwarming or heart wrenching situations that make people feel guilty if they implement change Emotions impede civil discourse when they keep people from thinking clearly How is this an example of Scare Overly Sentimental Appeals?

How is this an example of Bandwagon Appeals? Rather than independently, urge people to follow the same path every one else is taking Parents to children Include: War on Drugs Campaign against Drunk Driving Defense of Marriage How is this an example of Bandwagon Appeals?

Fallacies of Ethical Argument Ethos

6. Appeals to False Authority Occurs when writers offer themselves or other authorities as sufficient warrant for believing a claim Claim: X is true because I say so. Warrant: What I say must be true. Claim: X is true because Y says so. Warrant: What Y says must be true Example: Religious arguments based on traditional books or text lose their credibility outside of that religion Trust, but verify How is this an example of Appeals to False Authority?

How is this an example of Dogmatism? Asserts or assumes that a particular position is the only one that is acceptable Undermines the trust between those who make and those who listen to arguments No arguments are necessary: the truth is obvious Whenever someone says that an issue is off the table for debate: BE SUSPICIOUS How is this an example of Dogmatism?

How is this an example of Ad Hominem? 8. Ad Hominem Arguments (Latin for “to the man”) – attacks the character of a person rather than the claims he or she makes Destroy the opponents ability to present reasonable appeals or distract from the successful arguments they may be offering Makes good guys and bad guys How is this an example of Ad Hominem?

How is this an example of Stacking the Deck? Showing only one side of the story – often in the writer’s/speaker’s favor Destroys your ethos – makes your readers/listeners nor trust you! Consider alternatives in any argument “I deserve an A because I go to class everyday.” True, however you didn’t mention that you never come prepared and you fall asleep everyday. How is this an example of Stacking the Deck?

Fallacies of Logical Argument Logos

How is this an example of Hasty Generalization? An inference drawn from insufficient evidence; forms the basis for most stereotypes Because my PT Cruiser broke down, all PT Cruisers must be junk To draw valid inferences, you must always have sufficient evidence Tag with appropriate qualifiers – some, a few, many, most, occasionally, rarely, possibly, in some cases, under certain circumstances, in my limited experience… How is this an example of Hasty Generalization?

How is this an example of Faulty Causality? The assumption that because one event or action follows another, the first causes the second Latin – “post hoc, ergo propter hoc” – after this, therefore because of this For example, a writer sues Coors because the company’s beer kept him from writing the novel Invalid: The company is not at fault How is this an example of Faulty Causality?

How is this an example of Equivocation? Half truths or arguments that give lies an honest appearance – usually based on tricks of language Someone plagiarizes a paper word for word and says “I wrote the paper myself”. Play on the word “wrote” The physically wrote the paper, but the words are not theirs How is this an example of Equivocation?

How is this an example of Begging the Question? A form of circular argument that goes nowhere “You can’t give me a C; I’m an A student” The claim is made on grounds that can’t be accepted because those grounds themselves are in question How is this an example of Begging the Question?

How is this an example of Non Sequitur? An argument whose claims, reasons, or warrants don’t connect logically Children are great at this – “You don’t love me or you’d buy me that bicycle!” Claim: You must not love me… Reason: …because you haven’t bought me that bicycle. Warrant: Buying bicycles for children is essential to loving them. How is this an example of Non Sequitur?

How is this an example of Straw Man? Attack an argument that isn’t really there, often a much weaker or more extreme one than the opponent is actually making The writer/speaker “sets up a straw man” in this way to create an argument that’s easy to knock down Knocks it down and says they won the argument However, the real argument was quite different How is this an example of Straw Man?

How is this an example of Red Herring? Changes the subject abruptly to throw readers or listeners off the trail If you find yourself resorting to a red herring in your argument… you should rethink your argument How is this an example of Red Herring?

How is this an example of Faulty Analogy? Inaccurate or inconsequential comparisons between objects or concepts When comparisons are extended, they become analogies A way of understanding unfamiliar ideas by comparing them with something that is already known Becomes faulty when taken on their own and pushed too far, or taken too seriously How is this an example of Faulty Analogy?

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