Logical Fallacies

1. Logical Fallacies

2. Change the terms in Irving�s statement, and you�ll see how unfounded his point is. Ie, if you expect teachers to be responsible for their students, then you have to give them the right to choose whether or not to hit them. Or, if you expect Canadians to be responsible citizens, you have to give them the right to choose whether or not to read and enjoy pornography. The next example is a self-refuting statement. For it does not have the precision of mathematics, therefore it is rudimentary and incomplete.Change the terms in Irving�s statement, and you�ll see how unfounded his point is. Ie, if you expect teachers to be responsible for their students, then you have to give them the right to choose whether or not to hit them. Or, if you expect Canadians to be responsible citizens, you have to give them the right to choose whether or not to read and enjoy pornography. The next example is a self-refuting statement. For it does not have the precision of mathematics, therefore it is rudimentary and incomplete.

5. In short, human importance or human dignity has nothing to do with one�s physical size. Russell goes on to prove a point which has nothing to do with human importance.In short, human importance or human dignity has nothing to do with one�s physical size. Russell goes on to prove a point which has nothing to do with human importance.

6. It is true that Bill�s dictionary has nothing to do with the debate. It has nothing to do with anything except the space it occupies. But the correct definition of words has everything to do with the argument.It is true that Bill�s dictionary has nothing to do with the debate. It has nothing to do with anything except the space it occupies. But the correct definition of words has everything to do with the argument.

7. There is no virtue in delay. Virtue and delay are unrelated. Virtue is a habit, a good quality, but delay is neither. But the President (this is an unreal example, for President Bush did not actually say those words) did not answer the question, but responded with a statement that ignores the question, but apparently responds to it.There is no virtue in delay. Virtue and delay are unrelated. Virtue is a habit, a good quality, but delay is neither. But the President (this is an unreal example, for President Bush did not actually say those words) did not answer the question, but responded with a statement that ignores the question, but apparently responds to it.

18. The Fallacy of Appeal to Ignorance: This fallacy occurs whenever someone argues that a statement is false because it has not been proved to be true, or is true because it has not been proved to be false.With all the effort people have spent trying to show that people do not communicate with one another through mental telepathy, no one has succeeded in showing that telepathy does not occur. That is why we argue that communication through mental telepathy occurs.

19. Or, consider the following argument:Elephants have red eyes so that they can hide in cherry trees. Have you ever seen an elephant in a cherry tree?No.There you go! That proves my point.

20. Appeal to the People: This fallacy occurs when a speaker attempts to get some group to agree to a particular position by appealing solely to their bigotry, biases, and prejudices or, in some cases, merely to their desire to hear what they already believe.

21. The Fallacy of False Analogy: This occurs when a person argues a position merely by drawing an analogy, without justifying the use of the analogy.Analogies only illustrate a point, they do not prove a point.For an example, click to the next slide: