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Logical Fallacies Part 4.

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Presentation on theme: "Logical Fallacies Part 4."— Presentation transcript:

1 Logical Fallacies Part 4

2 Dogmatism The unwillingness to even consider the opponent’s argument. Often justified on the assumption that those who disagree with you are “biased”, while you are “objective”.

3 Moral Equivalency  The implication that two moral issues carry the same weight or are essentially similar. Examples: Equating being a wage slave with actual slavery. Equating all acts of war with terrorism.

4 Argument From Ignorance or Non-Testable Hypothesis
This is the fallacy that that which has not been proven false must or is likely to be true The fallacy is usually applied to concepts that haven’t yet been adequately tested or are beyond the realm of proof. Example: There are invisible, undetectable fairies No there aren’t You have no proof that they don’t exist… so they do!

5 Hasty Generalization, Misunderstanding Statistics or Non-Representative Sample
This is poor inductive reasoning based on a poor sample (an error in statistics) It normally involves mistaking a small incidence for a larger trend.  Prejudice is the most obvious example but this doesn’t just apply to people. Example: A small child is likely to think that… All birds can fly.

6 Fallacy of Exclusion This is related to the Hasty Generalization,
It specifically refers one group’s behavior and assuming that behavior is unique to that group; yet, in fact, the behavior is common to many groups.   Example:  Having read an article how all the “James Gang” steal calculators George concludes that whoever stole his calculator must be a member the “James Gang”

7 Semantics or Equivocation (also, Splitting Hairs, Playing With Words, or Using Legalisms)
Using the inherent ambiguity of language to distract from the actual ideas or issues Fallacy Ex: "No man of woman born" can kill Macbeth (Macduff, who does kill Macbeth, was caesarian) Bill Clinton attempted to use this fallacy (with disastrous results!) when he denied having "sex" with Monica Lewinski.  His defense was based on the "fact" that both the law and Webster's dictionary have a very limited definition of "sex". Jim Leher: You had no sexual relationship with this young woman?  President Clinton: There is not a sexual relationship. That is accurate.” 

8 Straw Man Is when an argument is misrepresented to make it easier to attack. Most often it is made so extreme that no one will agree with it. Example: Will: We should relax the laws on beer. Warren: No, any society with unrestricted access to intoxicants loses its work ethic and goes only for immediate gratification.

9 Argument From Authority
This is the flip side of the ad hominem; in this case, the argument is advanced because of those advancing it. This error takes two forms: 1. False authority: the authority doesn’t pass the competency, bias, & honesty test: Example: Charlie Sheen is anti-vaccine so you should be too 2. Human Error : Even a true authority may be wrong. Example: The noted Astronomer Sir William Herschel thought there were oceans on Mars


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