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http://teachergraeme.wordpress.com/

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FALLACIES

Errors in Reasoning

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1. Either …. Or….

2. Red Herring

3. Ad Hominem

4. Bandwagon

5. Slippery Slope

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EITHER 0R

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Either we build a high school in that town or the children will never be able to go to university.

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In the either or fallacy the listener is asked to choose between two things when in reality there are more than two possibilities.

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In cases in which the two options are, in fact, the only two options, this line of reasoning is not fallacious. For example:

Bill is dead or he is alive. Bill is not dead. Therefore Bill is alive

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You are either with me or against me!

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Not true – I agree with some of your actions but not all!

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The government must either increase taxes or reduce public servants’ salaries.

Here a complex issue is reduced to a simple choice of either.. or.. when in fact there are other possibilities.

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Red Herring

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Red Herring

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How dare my opponents say that I, the president, am guilty of corruption……..

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….when my government is so busy trying to improve the quality of the lives of the

people in these difficult economic times.

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This a red herring – what does the quality of the lives of the people have to do with

whether I’m guilty of corruption.

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Why should we worry about wild animals being trapped and sold in the national parks when……

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..hundreds of people are killed every year in traffic accidents.

This is a red herring – people killed in traffic accidents is a serious problem but has nothing to do with the issue of illegal trapping of wild animals.

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AD HOMINEM

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Ad Hominem = against the man/person

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My opponent says that I don’t defend women’s rights but she is ugly and bitter

since her divorce so you shouldn’t listen to her.

Here the opponent is attacked not the opponents logic or ideas.

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That organization says that I cheat my workers and that I don’t pay them a fair salary but the people in that organization get paid big fat salaries just to make me

look bad.

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A: Good movie?

B: No – it was terrible.

A: Ok - so you don’t think the movie was good but you’re an American and your culture is not as long or as rich as mine.

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BANDWAGON

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Advertising is a rich source of Bandwagon arguments, with many products claiming to be "number 1" or "most popular", even though this is irrelevant to the product's merits.

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• So easy to use, no wonder it's #1

• No wonder so many people choose our network

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Bill: "I like classical music and I think it is of higher quality than most modern music." Jill: "That stuff is for old people." Dave: "Yeah, only real woosies listen to that crap. Besides, Hip Hop rules! It Rules!"

Bill: "Well, I don't really like it that much. Hip Hop is much better."

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SLIPPERY SLOPE

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• If A happens, then by a gradual series of small steps through B, C,…, X, Y, eventually Z will happen, too. Z should not happen. Therefore, A should not happen, either

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We have to stop the tuition increase! The next thing you know, they'll be charging $40,000 a semester!"

"The US shouldn't get involved militarily in other countries. Once the government sends in a few troops, it will then send in thousands to die."

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(1) If you buy a Hip Hop album before you know it you’ll have an earring and tattoos and hang out with gangsters.

(2) You don’t want to become a gangster.

Therefore:

(3) You shouldn’t buy a hip Hop album.

• fallacy because it is perfectly possible to

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You should never gamble. Once you start gambling you find it hard to stop. Soon you are spending all your money on gambling, and eventually you will turn to crime to support your earnings.

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