Chapter Five Flashcards
What are the five segments of this chapter?
What is logic The two branches of logic Truth and validity The anatomy of an argument Logical fallacies
What is the definition of logic?
The study of right reasoning or valid inferences and the attending fallacies - formal and informal
What is the simpler definition of logic
The use of reason as a tool to help create a good argument or to distinguish a good argument from a bad one
What are the two branches of logic and how are they defined
Deductive- results in a conclusive result. Uses syllogisms
Inductive- only supports and does not prove the conclusion
What is the different between truth and validity
Truth deals with whether the premises correspond to reality
Validity considers whether or not the logic involved in the argument is correct
Can a bad argument be logically valid yet true?
Yes
Look at drawings
Cool
What are the two ways of proving a hypothetical argument is valid?
The student could confirm the antecedent
The student could deny the consequent
If then argument
What are the disjunctive syllogisms?
Either or statements
List the logical fallacies
Ready go
Straw man
Distorting an opponent’s position to make it weaker, and easier to attack
Begging the question
The conclusion is a restatement of the premise. The argument contains the conclusion
“The Bible is true because it is God’s word.”
“I am an “A” student; I don’t deserve a B for this course”
Poisoning the well
When the one who is speaking states a claim that would make anything else his opponent say seem foolish. Connecting the opponent’s conclusion to a weakness
“A fool says in his heart there is no God.” Why would you listen to anyone that is a fool?
Red herring
Changing the subject
“My paper is nit that good, but I tried real hard”
Post hoc
Chronological events are incorrectly connected as cause and effect
“Grandpa are oatmeal and then died an hour later”
False dilemma
A question imposed, and only a limited number of answers are offered. Either or fallacy. Reducing the options to only 2 options
“Either I get a good grade or I lose my scholarship”
Hasty generalization
When one person makes a conclusion based on too small sampling of a group
In response to getting a bad grade on an essay, he said, “whad’ya expect? I’m a physics major”
Ad hominem
Attacking the arguer instead of the argument
“You gave me a bad grade because you don’t like me”
Slippery slope
An if then statement with no casual connection
“If Vietnam falls to communism then all of Southeast Asia will be communist”
Faulty analogy
Statement that just does not unite the two things being compared
“This paper is just as good as the ones that earned me As in high school”
Logic
The use of reason as a tool to create a goodie funding or identity a bad one
Deductive logic
Logic that argues from the general to specific and provides a conclusion
Inductive logic
Argues from the specific to general and does not prove the conclusion
Argument
Interconnected propositions that give evidence of a conclusion
Argument vs arguing
Arguing is often irrational or emotional conflict
Syllogism
A structured logical argument with premises and the conclusion
Propositions
Sentence or statement
Premise
The propositional statement of an argument
Conclusion
The proposition is proven or supported in an argument
Categorical syllogism
An argument with three propositions
2 are premises
One conclusion
Hypothetical argument
If then statement requiring a logical argument between the antecedent and argument
Valid
Affirming antecedent
Proven or supporter
Invalid
Not proven or supported
Disjunctive syllogism
Logical statements represent either or scenarios
Informal fallacy
Unproven statements that are emotionally stirring
Appeal to pity
Illogical argument that is emotionally moving. Sometimes called the sentimental appeal:
if you fail me it will ruin my life
Self-refutation
A statement that makes its own propositions untrue.
“There is absolutely no absolute truth”
“as a skeptic I know that you have to be skeptical of all statements”
Argument from silence
A statement is unsupported, yet anything might be possible.
“angels appeared to native Americans and gave the. The idea of the great sky spirit”
Appeal to people
One argues that if you want to be accepted, you must accept the conclusion. And appeal to people’s need to be accepted or included
“choosy mothers choose Jif”
Genetic fallacy
Confusing that origin of an idea with the logical reason for believing or disbelieving it.
“The current chancellor of Germany was in the hitter youth at age three”
Non-sequitur
When the is no evident connection between the claim and the reason.
“If you loved me you would give me an a on this paper”
Band wagon appeal
An appeal to the consensus of opinion as a validating claim.
“I submitted this paper before to other teachers and they gave me a better grade”
Appeal to false authority
When an appeal is made to an authority that does not have the respect or credentials to have a respected opinion.
“My mother thinks this is an a paper”
