Chapter 6 Flashcards
fallacy
a mistake in reasoning.
“you tell me it’s dangerous to text when I’m driving, but I have seen you doing it”
(also relevance fallacy)
Relevance fallacies are also called
Red herrings
relevance fallacy
the premise is not relevant to the issue in question
Argumentum Ad Hominem
most common fallacy on planet earth. Translates to “argument to the person”. You commit this fallacy if you dismiss someone’s position by dismissing him or her.
“What do I think about the president’s proposal for immigration reform? It’s ridiculous. He just wants Latino votes”
Poisoning the well
dismiss what someone is going to say by talking about the person’s consistency or character or circumstances
Guilt by association
trying to persuade us to dismiss a belief by telling us that someone we don’t like has that belief
“You think waterboarding is torture? That sounds like something these left-wing college professors would say”
Genetic Fallacy
When he/she argues that the origin of a contention in and of itself automatically renders it false.
“Where on earth did you hear that? on Talk radio?”
“That idea is absurd. It’s just something the Tea Party put out there.”
Straw Man
attempts to dismiss a contention by distorting or misrepresenting it.
“What do I think about outlawing large ammunition clips? I think the idea of disarming everyone is ridiculous and dangerous”
The speaker has turned the proposal to outlaw large ammunition clips into something far different, a proposal to disarm everyone.
False dilemma
Tries to establish a conclusion by offering it as the only alternative to something we will find unacceptable.
“We either eliminate Social Security or the country will go bankrupt. Therefore, we must eliminate Social Security”
Misplacing the burden of proof
“I believe the president’s birth certificate is a forgery. Can you prove it isn’t?”
The burden of proof is on the speaker to give us a reason for thinking the certificate was forged.
“Jill: We should invest more money in expanding the interstate system.
Alice: That would be a mistake
Jill: How could anyone object to more highways”
Jill put the burden of proof on Alice.
Appeal to ignorance
When someone asserts that we should believe a claim because nobody has proved it false.
“Nobody has proved ghosts don’t exist: therefore they do”
Begging the question
Trying to support a contention by offering as evidence what amounts to a repacking of the very contention in question.
“Obviously the governor told the truth about the budget. He wouldn’t lie to us about it.”
“Women should not be allowed in combat, because it is prohibited by the Defense Department”
Appeal to Emotion
supporting a contention by playing on our emotions
Argument from Outrage
convince us by making us angry rather than giving us a relvant argument
Scare Tactics
tries to scare us into accepting an irrelevant conclusion
“You really should get a Prudential life insurance policy. What would happen to your spouse and children if you die? Remember, you are their main source of income. Would they be forced to move?”
