Topic 3: Arguments and Logical Fallacies Flashcards
An assertion that has premises and a conclusion.
Argument
T/F An Argument To be valid – if the premise is true, then the conclusion must be true also.
true
T/F An Argument to be sound - the logic is valid and the premise is true, in which case the conclusion must be true.
True
T/F Examining all assumptions the argument is dependent on is critical to analysis.
True
AKA proposition or statement.
An assertion of truth, existence or value
Either true or false
Can become a conclusion if supported by premises.
Claim
assertion or proposition (claim) that forms the basis for a work or theory
Premise
proposition from which another proposition is inferred or follows as a conclusion
Premise
T/F A premise may be
true but incomplete
and does not cover the relevant facts necessary to argue the conclusion.
True
The quality of being justifiable by reason
LOGIC
Reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity
LOGIC
If a conclusion is not true = use of a false premise or a
Logical Fallacies
Deception, trickery
Unreliability, flawed, error. A sophism - a deceptive or misleading argument. A delusive notion founded on false reasoning. The condition of being deceived
FALLACY
Derived from two Latin words:
* fallax - deceptive
* fallere – to deceive
FALLACY
Attempting to undermine a person’s argument by attacking their character or personal traits.
AD HOMINEM
Where two alternative states are presented as the only possibilities, when in fact more possibilities exist.
BLACK OR WHITE
AKA: False Dilemma
Black or White
Where two alternative states are presented as the only possibilities, when in fact more possibilities exist.
Arguing that because someone in authority says it is true, it must be true.
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY
In practice a complex logical fallacy to deal with.
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY
It is legitimate to consider the training and experience of an individual when examining their assessment of a particular claim.
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY
A consensus of scientific opinion does carry some legitimate authority (climate change, vaccines).
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY
Presuming that a real or perceived relationship between two things means that one causes the other.
FALSE CAUSE
AKA: post hoc ergo propter hoc
FALSE CAUSE
CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION
FALSE CAUSE
Lies with the person making the claim.
The burden of proof
AKA Absence of Evidence; Argument from Astonishment; Appeal to Ignorance
Argument from ignorance
Arguing that because something is natural or from nature that it is therefore valid, justified, inevitable, good or ideal.
APPEAL TO NATURE
Using personal experience or an isolated example as a valid argument.
ANECDOTAL
Especially dismissive of statistics.
ANECDOTAL
T/F The pleural of anecdote aka Anecdotal, is NOT data.
True
Individual perceptions are unreliable, especially compared to statistical measures. We tend to assume a desired outcome is more representative than it is.
ANECDOTAL
Anecdote is Not ________
Evidence
Used to illustrate an argument that is based in evidence.
Anecdote
Part of a person’s story or narrative that doesn’t need to be evidential in an individual encounter.
Anecdote
An argument for the validity of an idea based upon an irrelevant appeal to its popularity.
BANDWAGON
