fallacies Flashcards
what is an argument
a process of reasoned inquiry and rational discourse seeking common ground
what is a claim
an assertion that puts forward a proposition that states the arguments main idea/purpose
what are the types of claims
claims of facts, claims of value, and claims of policy
personal experience
it adds a human element and can help appeal to pathos. also it can draw readers in and make abstract issues more human.
anecdotes
stories about other people that you’ve either researched, observed, or been told about
current events
staying abreast of what is happening logically, nationally, and globally, also ensures information that can be used as evidence
historical information
it’s verifiable facts that a writer knows from research. It can provide background and context to current issues. Helps ethos, and often used for compare and contrast to a more contemporary situation
expert opinion
relies the foundation of all knowledge and the back bone of an evidence based argument
quantitative evidence
includes things that can be represented in numbers and may be presented through verbal explanations or more often in groups charts and tables
deduction
“deduction moves in the opposite direction from a general statement to a specific conclusion”
logical fallacies
vulnerabilities in an argument caused by faulty reasoning or incorrect use of evidence
practical definition of fallacy
a failure to make a logical connection between the claim and the evidence used to support that claim
red herring
occurs when a speaker skips to a new and irrelevant topic in order to avoid the topic of discussion
faulty analogy
focuses on irrelevant or inconsequential similarities between two things
strawman fallacies
occurs when a speaker chooses a deliberately poor or oversimplified example in order to refute an opponent’s viewpoint
either/or fallacies
also called false dilemma, the speaker presents two extreme options as the only possible choices
appeal to false authority
when someone has no expertise to speak on an issue is cited as an authority
bandwagon appeal
known as populism fallacy, occurs when evidence boils down to “everybody’s doing it so it must be a good thing to do”
circular reasoning
involves repeating the claim as a way to provide evidence resulting in none at all.
