Unit 2 Outcome 3 Flashcards
Argument by analogy
An Inductive argument, a similarity between like features of two things
Deriving ‘ought’ from ‘is’
When a conclusion which makes a claim about what should or ought to be the case is deduced solely from descriptive premises.
e.g. People should stop eating meat because it involves the killing of animals.
P1. Eating meat involves the killing of animals
P2. Anything that involves the killing of animals should be stopped.
C. We should stop eating meat
Ad Populum Falacy
An argument that simply accords with the majority view
P1. 70% of the population disagrees with nuclear energy
P2. Whatever the majority of the population disagrees with should not be introduced
C. Nuclear Power should not be introduced
Ad Personam Fallacy
instead of judging an argument on its own merits, we judge it according to our response will make us feel.
Ad Hominem Fallacy
An extremely poor example of poor reasoning which is usually committed in one of two ways: either a claim is rejected because of dislike or disapproval for the individual who makes it, or, rather than addressing the argument, the individual presenting the argument is attacked.
e.g.
Kathy is such a pessimist. I don’t think we should accept her arguments against visiting Columbia when we are next in South America.
P1: Kathy argues that we shouldn’t visit Columbia
P2: Kathy is a pessimist
C. Kathy’s argument should be rejected
The Genetic Fallacy
Judging something or someone based on their previous origins
e.g. Of course Prof Marks will argue that climate change exists. He used to be a left-wing political activist back in his university days.
Naturalistic Fallacy
Whatever is shown in nature is right.
Fallacy of Equivocation
When a word or phrase employs a different meaning across an argument.
P1. Barbara is lying on the sofa
P2. Lying is deceitful
C. Barbara is deceitful
Amphiboly Fallacy
P1. Captain Nemo caught a whale in his pyjamas
C. It is dangerous for whales to wear pyjamas
In the argument above, it could be interpreted to mean either Captain Nemo was wearing pyjamas when he caught the whale or the whale was wearing pyjamas when caught by Captain Nemo.
Fallacy of Composition
it is fallacious to reason to the truth of the whole simply from the facts of the parts, it can be likewise fallacious to reason that, because something is true of the whole class, it is also true of each of it’s individual members.
Casual Fallacy
Can be found mostly on newspapers and can cause unnecessary alarm.
Inconsistency
e.g.
While I agree that it’s wrong to kill innocent human beings, I strongly support the legalisation of abortion.
Begging the question
Having sufficient reasoning for the question
P1. Nature is diverse and complex
P2. Only God can create such diversity and complexity
C. God Exists
Slippery Slope
“If we let men marry other men, soon we will have to let them marry their dogs too”
Straw Man
Person A: Our society should spend more money helping the poor.
Person B: Studies show that handouts don’t work; they just create more poverty and humiliate the recipients. That money could be better spent.
In this case, Person B has specified Persons A’s position (more funding) into (more handouts), which is easier for Person B to defeat.
