STUDENT HANDOUT LOGICAL FALLACIES Explanation of Logical Fallacies * What is logic? * Logic is reasoning that is conducted according to strict principles. * How is logic related to expository writing? * When you write an expository essay‚ you are using logic to provide the layers of proof for your statements. * You are proving your thesis when you construct your topic sentences. * e.g.‚ answering the “Why”‚ “How”‚ “What are they” questions about the
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Logical Fallacies Fallacies of Relevance Ad Hominem Refers to a personal attack on an arguer’s reputation or character rather than the argument itself. Usually seen in political debates Example: Teddy Roosevelt’s attacks on William Howard Taft’s obesity. Attacking the Motive Refers to focusing on an attack against an arguer’s supposed motivation or bias rather than focusing on the argument itself. Usually points to how the arguer would benefit from his own argument. Example: Flower
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An Encyclopedia of Errors of Reasoning The ability to identify logical fallacies in the arguments of others‚ and to avoid them in one’s own arguments‚ is both valuable and increasingly rare. Fallacious reasoning keeps us from knowing the truth‚ and the inability to think critically makes us vulnerable to manipulation by those skilled in the art of rhetoric. What is a Logical Fallacy? A logical fallacy is‚ roughly speaking‚ an error of reasoning. When someone adopts a position‚ or tries to persuade
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Types of Fallacy 1) Fallacy of Accident/ Fallacy of Sweeping Generalization - occurs when one reason with the generalization as if it has no exceptions. Examples: 1) Cutting people with a knife is a crime Surgeons cut people with knives Therefore‚ surgeons are criminals. 2) Birds can fly Penguins are birds Therefore‚ penguins can fly 3) Speeding up above 50 kph is a crime. Therefore‚ ambulance drivers are criminals. 2) Fallacy of Converse Accident - occurs when
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Part 1: Intellectual Standards- “The vast majority of Transterra’s college apparel is manufactured in a factory in Honduras which employs primarily women and children who operate under horrific conditions.” The author is violating the intellectual standards of precision and breadth. The author does not provide enough details to emphasis that the company employs primarily women and children. It could be possible that everyone has a different meaning to horrific conditions. In other countries it
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Fallacies in Advertising According to Bassham et al. (2002)‚ a logical fallacy is “an argument that contains a mistake in reasoning” (p. 140). There are two types of logical fallacies‚ fallacies of relevance‚ and fallacies of insufficient evidence. Fallacies of relevance happen when the premises are not logically relevant to the conclusion. Fallacies of insufficient evidence occur when the premises do not provide sufficient evidence to support the conclusion. Though there are several logical fallacies
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Video games have become an integrated part of society both in the older and younger generations. As more and more complex games are made and introduced into the community‚ increased amounts of violence are put into these games to draw in more consumers. Many studies have reported that because of the violence in these games‚ younger children and teens have become more violent not only toward family‚ but also toward government and public property. If this continues on the track that has been established
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flipped a coin three times and come up with three heads. What do you predict will come up next? According to Stephen Dubner‚ most people predict tails next‚ because they believe that too many heads has come up and that the coin must fall on the tails side‚ even though there is still a 50% percent chance the coin lands on heads. This is the basis of the gambler’s fallacy‚ which is when people make a bad decision because of the sequence of what has happens‚ and it happens everywhere from baseball games
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CRITICAL THINKING PSU LOGICAL FALLACIES Ad hominem or ATTACKING THE PERSON. Attacking the arguer rather than his/her argument. Example: John’s objections to capital punishment carry no weight since he is a convicted felon. Note: Saying something negative about someone is not automatically ad hominem. If a person (politician for example) is the issue‚ then it is not a fallacy to criticize him/her. Ad ignorantium or APPEAL TO IGNORANCE. Arguing on the basis of what is not known and cannot be proven
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Logical Fallacies Logical fallacies have existed since the dawn of time. As defined by Bassham et al a logical fallacy "is an argument that contains a mistake in reasoning." With this definition one must keep in mind that the definition of an argument according to Bassham et al is "a claim put forward and defended by reasons." The ability to recognize logical fallacy will enable one to break down an argument. This ability is crucial to the critical thinking process. Logical fallacies can be
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