logical fallacies for english
DESCRIPTION
by my English teacher Sir Jet PaclarTRANSCRIPT
LOGICAL FALLACIES
Logic Gone Mad.
WHAT’S A FALLACY? I believe that Germany was not worthy of the
FIFA Cup because according to boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, the team was not really good in soccer.
Sweeping dust out of the house during night time is not good because old folks said that it throws out good luck away.
That road is the fastest road to school because most of my classmates take it.
For me, the K+12 Curriculum will surely fail because I can’t understand how it works.
You should not love him because he is an ex-convict.
WHAT IS A FALLACY?
Fallacies are statements that might sound reasonable or superficially true but are actually flawed or dishonest.
CATEGORIES OF FALLACY
Fallacy of RelevanceComponent FallacyFallacy of AmbiguityFallacy of Omission
FALLACY OF RELEVANCE
These fallacies appeal to evidences or examples that are not relevant to the
argument at hand.
APPEAL TO FORCE (ARGUMENTUM AD BACULUM)
“Might-Makes-Right” Fallacy Uses Force, Threats or Unpleasant
BacklashesExample: “2+2= 22, believe that or I’ll smash your
face!” “God is not true. If someone here says
otherwise then he shall face his death.” “You should not publish that. I need not to
remind you that the board has fired the previous editor for ignoring our orders.”
“Believe me or else you’ll fail this course.”
GENETIC FALLACY
The genetic fallacy is the claim that an idea, product, or person must be untrustworthy because of its racial, geographic, or ethnic origin.
Example: “That product should not be trusted because
it was made in China.” “Why should we listen to my opponent?
When she is an Aeta who knows nothing but plant root crops?”
“We should not trust him because he is a Muslim and he might be a terrorist.”
PERSONAL ATTACK(ARGUMENTUM AD HOMINEM)
“Argument toward the man” or “Poisoning the Well” Fallacy
Attacking or praising the person who made an argument, rather than discussing the argument itself.
Example: “How can you say that the act is moral when
you were once a convicted criminal?”
Two Sub-categories of Ad Hominem:A. Abusive B. Circumstantial
ABUSIVE PERSONAL ATTACK
To argue that proposals, assertions, or arguments must be false or dangerous because they originate with atheists, Christians, Muslims, communists, capitalists,, Catholics, anti-Catholics, racists, anti-racists, feminists, misogynists (or any other group) is fallacious.
Just like GENETIC FALLACY
CIRCUMSTANTIAL PERSONAL ATTACK
To argue that an opponent should accept or reject an argument because of circumstances in his or her life.
Example: “Aren’t you an atheist? Then you should
support same sex marriage.” “Heinz, do you love your wife? Then steal for
her to live!” “If you are really an anti-poverty and
malnutrition advocate, then agree that abortion is moral and legal.”
APPEAL TO MAJORITY(ARGUMENTUM AD PAPULUM)
Using an appeal to popular assent, often by arousing the feelings and enthusiasm of the multitude rather than building an argument.
Three Basic Approaches in Ad Papulum
a. Bandwagon Approach
b. Patriotic Approach
c. Snob Approach
BANDWAGON (AD PAPULUM)
Everybody is doing it, therefore, it must be true.
Often used by advertisers.Example: “95% of Filipinos use “Clear” as their
shampoo, thus, it is the best shampoo in the Philippines.”
“Among the presidents who served us, he got the highest turn out of votes. He is really the most qualified candidate.”
“Most of the members of the jury believed his argument. It must have been the best argument ever provided in this case.”
PATRIOTIC (AD PAPULUM)
“Draping oneself in a flag.” Asserts that a certain stance is true or
correct because it is somehow patriotic, and that those who disagree are unpatriotic.
Somewhat overlapping with Circumstantial Personal Attack (Ad Hominem).
Example “You are a Filipino that is why you should buy
Filipino product.”
SNOB (AD PAPULUM)
“All the best people are doing it, therefore, it must be true.”
Example: “Most of the famous actors in the country
uses Master facial cleanser that is why it is the best facial cleanser in the country.”
“Great boxers in the Philippines trained in Allah Boxing Gym. I will also train there to become a great boxer.”
“National officials are stealing, thus, it is just right for barangay officials to do the same.”
APPEAL TO TRADITION(ARGUMENTUM AD TRADITIO)
This line of thought asserts that a premise must be true because people have always believed it or done it. Alternatively, it may conclude that the premise has always worked in the past and will thus always work in the future.
Example: “Books are still the best sources of
information because they have been used for thousands of years.”
“Scolding a student who misbehaves is still the best way to instil discipline because it has been done by teachers in the past.”
APPEAL TO IMPROPER AUTHORITY(ARGUMENTUM AD VERECUNDIUM)
“Uses ideas of unreliable people.”Example: “I believe that Germany was not worthy of
the FIFA Cup because according to boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, the team was not really good in soccer.”
“According to Vice Ganda, the economy of the Philippines is falling because of the insurgencies in Mindanao. With that, I suggest that we should first settle the conflicts in Mindanao before we focus on economy.”
BIASED AUTHORITY
The authority is one who actually is knowledgeable on the matter, but may have professional or personal motivations that affect his judgement.
Example “A squatter told me that demolition is an
immoral act, thus, I would say that it is not just immoral but illegal.”
“According to a frat leader, hazing is an essential feature of fraternities, thus, it should not be banned even if it causes death.”
APPEAL TO EMOTION(ARGUMENTUM AD MISERICORDIAM)
Argument from “pity”Example “He should not be punished because he is
just a little child.” “Heinz should not be imprisoned for stealing
because he did that for his dying wife.” “The druggist should have not overpriced the
drug because it can cure many people who are suffering.”
“Please hire me because I have eight mouths to feed.’
ARGUMENT FROM ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES
Asserting that an argument must be false because the implications of it being true would create negative results.
Example “The medical tests show that Liza has
advanced cancer. However, that can’t be true because then she would die! I refuse to believe it!”
“Love should be painful. However, to believe in such precept would mean I never have loved for I have not felt any pain at all. I therefore refute such statement.”
ARGUMENT FROM PERSONAL INCREDULITY
Asserting that opponent’s argument must be false because you personally don’t understand it or can’t follow its technicalities.
Example: “For me, the K+12 Curriculum will surely fail
because I can’t understand how it works.”