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The Center for Academic Excellence Presents . . . Logical and Emotional Fallacies. Recognizing and Avoiding Untruth. ≠. Logical and Emotional Fallacies - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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The Center for Academic Excellence Presents . . .
Logical and Emotional FallaciesRecognizing and Avoiding Untruth
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Logical and Emotional Fallacies
Fallacies are false or deceptive arguments that may seem persuasive but which do not withstand analysis. Those who make fallacious arguments are not necessarily trying to deceive, because fallacies are superficially convincing—however, they are ultimately illogical.
Academics have a responsibility to expose and to avoid fallacious reasoning.
1. Ad Hominem Fallacy
2. Bandwagon Fallacy
3. Begging the Question
4. Biased Language
5. Deus Vult Fallacy
6. Either . . . or . . . Fallacy
7. Equivocation
8. False Analogy
9. Faulty Premise
10.Half Truth Fallacy
11. Hasty Generalization
12.Noble Effort Fallacy
13.Non Sequitur Fallacy
14.Post Hoc Fallacy
15.Questionable Authority Fallacy
16.Red Herring Fallacy
17.Slippery Slope Fallacy
18.Stereotyping
19.Straw Man Fallacy
20.Tu Quoque Fallacy
Table of Contents
Ad Hominem FallacyAgainst the Man
Besmirching a person’s reputation by directly attacking his character.
Example: President Bush is a foul-mouthed drunkard who shirked his military responsibilities; he is unfit to be Commander-in-Chief.
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Bandwagon FallacyMight is Right – Preaching to the Choir
The idea that because everyone thinks so, it must be right.
Example: Ninety percent of those polled oppose gay marriage; we, too, must stand up for the sanctity and preservation of traditional marriage.
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Begging the Question
Giving studentscondoms will make them
promiscuous!
A type of faulty premise, where the central premise is left unspoken.
Example: Condoms should not be distributed at schools. We don’t need to encourage sexual promiscuity.
See also, Faulty Premise Return to Table of Contents
Biased LanguageName-Calling
Using terms which unfairly label causes of which the speaker disapproves.
Example: Michael is a narrow-minded, Bible-thumping bigot whose opposition to abortion is as stupid as he is.
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Deus VultAppeal to Heaven
Defending a position because God or some higher power wills it so.
Example: A pro-life supporter shoots a worker at an abortion clinic, because the message it sends serves the greater good and is therefore pleasing to God.
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Either . . . Or . . . FallacyOver Simplification
The assertion that only two choices exist, when the options are, in fact, several.
Example: The war against terrorism is ineffective. Either we should increase our military presence in the middle east or pull out of the war altogether.
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EquivocationConcealing the Truth, Mincing Words
Deliberately failing to define one’s terms, or using words differently from how they are generally understood.
Example: Bill Clinton emphatically insisting that he “didn’t have sex with that woman,” when the public took that to mean sexual contact of any sort, but where he meant penetration.
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False AnalogyComparing Apples With Oranges
Making a false comparison.
Example: Homosexuality, like murder and child molestation, is a pleasure of the flesh. We all know that murder and molestation are wrong; why do we question whether homosexuality is wrong?
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A syllogism, elements of which are questionable.
Example:
• Women are bad drivers.• Marcy is a woman.• Marcy is a bad driver.
Faulty Premise
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Half TruthCard Stacking, Incomplete Information
Telling convenient truths but deliberately leaving out important information, so as to paint a brighter picture.
Example: A prominent local university’s billboard claims that “Ninety percent of our faculty have the highest degree in their field,” but fails to point out that this refers only to the 267 full-time faculty members, and not to the 272 adjuncts who hold only masters’ degrees.
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Hasty GeneralizationJumping to Conclusions
A conclusion based on insufficient evidence or oversimplification.
Example: Because the test scores at the local high school are poor this year, you conclude that all of the teachers are sub par and send your own children to another high school. This fallacy is often recognized by the use of such absolute qualifiers as all, every, none, never, and completely.
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Noble Effort“E” for Effort, Sob Story
A conclusion based on insufficient evidence or oversimplification.
Example: Because the test scores at the local high school are poor this year, you conclude that all of the teachers are sub par and send your own children to another high school. This fallacy is often recognized by the use of such absolute qualifiers as all, every, none, never, and completely.
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Non Sequitur FallacyLiterally, “it does not follow.”
A false assumption, involving a missing claim that few would agree with.
Example: James speaks well; he would make a good politician.
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Post Hoc FallacyFaulty cause-and-effect reasoning.
Just because two events occur in close proximity does not mean that one is necessarily related to the other.
Example: After President Clinton took office, the economy stabilized. Obviously the Clinton Administration’s fiscal policies were effective.
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Questionable AuthorityFalse Testimonial
Where support for a position or product is provided by a well-known or respected figure who is not an expert and who has probably been paid or otherwise rewarded for the endorsement.
Example: Because Olympic gold-medalist, Usain Bolt, promotes Nike shoes, they must be good (in spite of the $5,000 he was paid for the 30-second endorsement and his lifetime supply of free Nikes).
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Red Herring FallacyChanging the Subject – Throwing Off the Scent
Introducing irrelevant issues, so as to avoid the real ones.
Example: When questioned on his voting record, a political candidate instead discusses the ways in which he has been unfairly represented by his opponent(s).
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Slippery Slope FallacyThe Domino Effect
Claiming that inevitable consequences must proceed from a decision.
Example: If we allow gay marriage, we are opening the floodgates of evil. Will there ever be any end in sight? Next the bigamists will want their relationships recognized, and then the polygamists; and finally those involved in incestuous relationships. Before long, people will want to be married to their pets. We must stand in opposition to this rampant evil of our time!
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StereotypingTarring With the Same Brush
A stereotype is a hasty generalization about a group or class of people.
Example: Because you have Chinese roommates in college who are slovenly, you conclude that all Chinese people must be just like them.
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Straw Man FallacyMisrepresenting opponents in oversimplified terms to discredit them.
Example: George Bush claims to be the Education President; in reality, he is a red neck who can’t even punctuate a sentence, let alone conjugate his verbs correctly. He graduated from college with a “C” average, for God’s sake!
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Tu QuoqueTwo Wrongs Make a Right
Defending an accusation of wrongdoing by claiming that the accusers are guilty of the same or worse.
Example: A politician accused of neglecting senior citizens points out that seniors in neighboring states are much worse off than in his own.
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PowerPoint Presentation by Mark A. Spalding, BA, MEd, MA (2007)Artwork: Red Herring, by Kieran McGonnell
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