Unit 2 Flashcards
Informal vs formal fallacy
Formal: error in structure/form
Informal: invalid/irrelevant premises
Hasty Generalization
Making assumptions (generalization/stereotypes/judgements) about whole groups or cases based on inadequate samples/experience
Missing the Point
premises support a variety of conclusions but not the one specifically in question
Post Hoc (false cause)
assuming that the cause of a later event was an earlier event just because they happened around the same time.
-correlation is not same as causation
Slippery slope
Aruger assumes a chain reaction usually ending in some dire consequence will take place but there’s really not enough evidence for that assumption.
Weak (or false) Analogy
Many arguments rely on an analogy between two or more objects, ideas, or situations. If the two things that are being compared aren’t really alike in the relevant aspects, the analogy is a weak one, and the argument that relies on it commits the fallacy of a weak analogy.
Fallacy of misplaced authority
Consists of appealing to the testimony of an authority on an issue that is outside his/her proper field of competence (expertise)
Appeal to pity
The appeal to pity takes place when an auger tries to get people to accept a conclusion by making them feel sorry for someone.
Appeal to Ignorance
Occurs when you argue that conclusion must be true because there is no evidence against it. This wrongly shifts the burden of proof away from one making claim.
Straw Man
Making someone else look bad by only pinning their weak arguments/arguments that are not even what they claimed by twisting their words to make our argument stronger.
Red Herring
This fallacy occurs when you divert attention from the real issue by focusing instead on an issue having only a surface relevance to the first.
False Dichotomy
The arguer sets up the situation so it looks like there are only two choices. The arguer then eliminates one of the choices so it seems that we are left with only one option: the one the arguer wanted us to pick in the first place.
Begging the Question
The argument’s premises assume the truth of the conclusion, instead of supporting it and doesn’t provide evidence
Equivocation
Sliding between two or more different meanings of a single word or phrase that is important to the argument
The fallacy of ad hominem (to the man)
Involves the criticism of some person’s position or belief by criticizing the person rather than the position itself.
Why study logic?
Philosophy is about asking questions, providing arguments, and making conclusions
Avoid being deceived, make valid arguments, solve problems
Logic attempts to figure out if arguments and following conclusion are valid
Comes from greek word logos (basic meaning: explanation)
Deductive arguement list all known points:
-general to specific
-draws a conclusion using premises that are backed by evidnece/facts
-aristotle mastered technique called the syllogism
-neither valid or invalid
-if premises are valid, conclusion is valid
continue
quantifier, subject, copula, predicate
Quantifier: all/some/every/most
Subject: what the sentence is about
Copula: between the subject and predicate
Predicate: usually an adjective/noun
Making sense.. All that ________ is…
All that is true makes sense but not all that makes sense is true
What is induction
process of going from the evidence to the hypothesis
What is the antecedent
A hypothesis, usually an if statement
What is the consequent
Evidence or symptoms, usually a then statement
What is replicability and what is the goal of it
Replicability is testing a hypothesis over and over until we know it is true, the whole point of it is to disprove the hypothesis
Explain all differences between availability bias vs confirmation.
Confirmation bias:
-tend to favour information that confirms our hypothesis
-We hold this information close to us because it is within our course of knowledge
-Flaw is it doesn’t actually confirm anything rather it is based on personal belief, and overconfidence in our knowledge
-makes bad decisions/distorts reality
-against falsification which seeks out evidence that disproves hypothesis
-Example: celebrities, only focusing/favouring information that confirms our love for celebrities, ignroing their scandals etc.
Availability Bias
-likelihood of thinking a certain event is more common than it is actually is based on our own personal experiences
-tendency to favour information that is commonly seen/thinking something is more common than it actually is based on our personal experiences
-If we remember a certain even more than how common it actually is in reality, we begin to develop an availability bias
-issue is people think if its more common, it is actually right
-distorts reality and poor decision making since we give into this info
-example stocks
Explain the difference deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning
Deductive reaosning
-goes from general principles/premises to specific conclusions.
-uses solid facts and accepted evidence to make premises and then concludes from them
-as long as the premises are true, the conclusion is also true
-a technique Artistotle mastered called the syllogism using logic
Example:
All dogs are mammals
Fido is a dog
Ergo, Fido is a mammal
Inducitve reaosning
-Goes from speciifc principles/premises to general conlcusions
-forms premises from inferences/observations about something and then draws a conclusion which is likely or probable to be true
-the conclusion can be either true or false even if the premises are true
Ex. all crows I have observed are black, therefore all crows are black.
Steps to a valid syllogism
1.Circle the middle term and check if its distributed at least once
2.Determine what kind of statement the premises and conclusion are (AEIO)
3.Check if the major and minor terms are distributed, if they are, then check if they are distributed in the premises -> if both distributed then both need to be distributed in premises
4.Syllogism must have only three terms
5.Two negative premises, no conclusion
6.If a premise is particular (undistributed), the conclusion must be particular (undistributed)
7.If a single premise is negative, the conclusion must also be negative
