Are There Any Fallacies In The Reasoning? Flashcards
Critical Questions
What are the issue and conclusion? What are the reasons? What words or phrases are ambiguous? What are the value conflicts and assumptions? What are the descriptive assumptions?
Objective of Critical Reading and Listening
To judge the acceptability or worth of conclusions
Fallacies of Reasoning
Providing reasoning that requires erroneous or incorrect assumptions
Distracting us by making information seem relevant to the conclusion when it is not
Providing support for the conclusion that depends on the conclusion’s already being true
Fallacy
A reasoning trick that an author might use while trying to persuade you to accept a conclusion
Ad Hominem
An attack or an insult, on the person, rather than directly addressing the person’s reasons
Steps in Locating Fallacies
- Identify the conclusions and reasons.
- Always keep the conclusion in mind and consider reasons that you think might be relevant to it; contrast these reasons with the author’s reasons
- If the conclusion supports an action, determine whether the reason states a specific and/or concrete advantage or a disadvantage; if not, be wary.
- Identify any necessary assumption by asking yourself, “If the reason were true, what would one have to believe for it to logically support the conclusion, and what does one have to believe for the reason to be true?
- Ask yourself, “Do these assumptions make sense?” If an obviously false assumption is being made, you have found a fallacy in reasoning, and that reasoning can then be rejected.
- Check the possibility of being distracted from relevant reasons by phrases that strongly appeal to your emotions.
Slippery Slope Fallacy
Making the assumption that a proposed step will set off an uncontrollable chain of undesirable events, when procedures exist to prevent such a chain of events
Searching for Perfect Solutions Fallacy
Falsely assuming that because part of a problem would remain after a solution is tried, the solution should not be adopted
Equivocation Fallacy
A key word is used with two or more meanings in an argument such that the argument fails to make sense once the shift in meaning are recognized
Appeal to Popularity Fallacy (Ad Populum)
An attempt to justify a claim by appealing to sentiments that large groups of people have in common. Falsely assumes that anything favored by a large group is desirable
Appeal to Questionable Authority Fallacy
Supporting a conclusion by citing an authority who lacks special expertise on the issue at hand
Appeal to Emotions Fallacy
The use emotionally charged language to distract readers and listeners from relevant reasons and evidence
Straw Person Fallacy
Destroying the opponent’s point of view so that it is easy to attack; thus we attack a point of view that does not truly exist
Either Or (False Dilemma) Fallacy
When controversies are treated as if only two choices are possible. Look for the phrases: either…or, the only alternative is, the two choices are, because A has not worked, only B will; assuming only two alternatives when there are more than two
Wishful Thinking Fallacy
When we assume incorrectly that what we think should be matches what is, or what will be; Making the faulty assumption that because we wish X were true or false, then X is indeed true or false
