more bad reasoning and bad rhetoric violence to both people and logic
TRANSCRIPT
More Bad Reasoning and
Bad Rhetoric
Violence to both People and Logic
Ad Hominem FallaciesAbout persons instead of premises
Personal attack/favoritism
Ad Hominem FallaciesAbout persons instead of premises
Personal attack/favoritism Inconsistency (incl. double standard)
Ad Hominem FallaciesAbout persons instead of premises
Personal attack/favoritism Inconsistency (incl. double standard) Circumstantial (positive or negative)
Ad Hominem FallaciesAbout persons instead of premises
Personal attack/favoritism Inconsistency (incl. double standard) Circumstantial (positive or negative) Poisoning the well
Ad Hominem FallaciesAbout persons instead of premises
Personal attack/favoritism Inconsistency (incl. double standard) Circumstantial (positive or negative) Poisoning the wellCharacteristics of the person are not irrelevant when credibility of the source is an important factor in determining whether a claim will be expected.
Ad Hominem FallaciesAbout persons instead of premises
Personal attack/favoritism Inconsistency (incl. double standard) Circumstantial (positive or negative) Poisoning the wellCharacteristics of the person are not irrelevant when credibility of the source is an important factor in determining whether a claim will be expected.
Genetic FallacyAbout origins of ideas instead of premises
Straw ManSubstituting a weak invention for reality
A strategy of refutation
Straw ManSubstituting a weak invention for reality
A strategy of refutation Reworks some part of a case to make it
less viable
Straw ManSubstituting a weak invention for reality
A strategy of refutation Reworks some part of a case to make it
less viable Uses exaggeration or oversimplification
to distort original position
Straw ManSubstituting a weak invention for reality
A strategy of refutation Reworks some part of a case to make it
less viable Uses exaggeration or oversimplification
to distort original position The altered version of the original is
easier to refute than the original
False DilemmaTreating contraries as contradictories
Occurs when a decision must be made
False DilemmaTreating contraries as contradictories
Occurs when a decision must be made Limits alternatives (to two in a dilemma)
False DilemmaTreating contraries as contradictories
Occurs when a decision must be made Limits alternatives (to two in a dilemma) May use straw man technique to make one
alternative more attractive
False DilemmaTreating contraries as contradictories
Occurs when a decision must be made Limits alternatives (to two in a dilemma) May use straw man technique to make one
alternative more attractive May show up as “either-or” or “if-then”
False DilemmaTreating contraries as contradictories
Occurs when a decision must be made Limits alternatives (to two in a dilemma) May use straw man technique to make one
alternative more attractive May show up as “either-or” or “if-then” May show up as perfectionist fallacy (If
it’s not perfect, then it’s not acceptable.)
False DilemmaTreating contraries as contradictories
Occurs when a decision must be made Limits alternatives (to two in a dilemma) May use straw man technique to make one
alternative more attractive May show up as “either-or” or “if-then” May show up as perfectionist fallacy (If
it’s not perfect, then it’s not acceptable.) May show up as line-drawing fallacy
(demand that category lines always be clear)
Slippery SlopeMisrepresenting probability and necessity
One version asserts in the manner of inductive argument that some action will inevitably (or almost certainly) lead to some improbable consequence
Slippery SlopeMisrepresenting probability and necessity
One version asserts in the manner of inductive argument that some action will inevitably (or almost certainly) lead to some improbable consequence
Second version asserts in the manner of a justification or statement of principle that once committed to a course of action, it must be followed to its conclusion
Misplacing Burden of ProofAppeal to Ignorance
An attempt to evade responsibility
Burden of proof: the requirement to supply support for a claim
Misplacing Burden of ProofAppeal to Ignorance
An attempt to evade responsibility
Burden of proof: the requirement to supply support for a claim
Burden of proof shifts, depending on conditions (lower initial plausibility, affirmative more than negative, special circumstances such as judicial “innocent until proven guilty”)
Misplacing Burden of ProofAppeal to Ignorance
An attempt to evade responsibility
Burden of proof: the requirement to supply support for a claim
Burden of proof shifts, depending on conditions (lower initial plausibility, affirmative more than negative, special circumstances such as judicial “innocent until proven guilty”)
Problem may occur unexpectedly in debate
Begging the QuestionSkipping over an important issue
May occur as a conclusion that restates a premise
Begging the QuestionSkipping over an important issue
May occur as a conclusion that restates a premise
May occur as a premise controversial on the same grounds as the conclusion
Begging the QuestionSkipping over an important issue
May occur as a conclusion that restates a premise
May occur as a premise controversial on the same grounds as the conclusion
May occur as a premise that presupposes the conclusion
Example: We need to widen this road because there aren’t enough lanes to handle the traffic. (Begs the question of whether all that traffic should or must be on that road. Does not beg the question of how many lanes are needed.)