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Logical Fallacies. Essential Questions. What techniques to advertisers, writers, and speakers use to persuade their audiences? How can being aware of these techniques make us more critical thinkers and digesters of information rather than just consumers?. What is a Logical Fallacy?.
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Essential Questions • What techniques to advertisers, writers, and speakers use to persuade their audiences? • How can being aware of these techniques make us more critical thinkers and digesters of information rather than just consumers?
What is a Logical Fallacy? • A logical fallacy is a mistake in reasoning, a flawed argument used just to win a debate, a distraction from the actual argument, or a foundational weakness in reasoning.
Ad Hominem [Latin: “to (against) the person”] • Ad hominem is an argument that attacks the character of a person rather than his opinions or arguments.
Ad Hominem [Latin: “to (against) the person”] Example: Oprah’s donations to worthy causes are useless because she can’t possibly know about poverty as a rich and arrogant celebrity.
False Dilemma/Situation Presents only two choices and forces someone to choose from the two choices when in reality there are plenty more options out there.
False Dilemma– Only Two Choices Example: If you drive without car insurance, then you’re an accident waiting to happen. Stay protected with Auto Union insurance.
False Analogy False analogies use comparisons or metaphors to relate ideas or situations that are not really that similar. *Be sure that the two ideas you’re comparing are really related.
False Analogy Example: Students and nails are the same. As it is necessary to hit nails on the head in order to make them work, the same must be done with students.
Slippery slope Example: If we ban Hummers because they are bad for the environment, then eventually the government will ban all cars; therefore, we should not ban Hummers. • Slippery slope is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps B, C, D….X, Y, and Z will happen too. • This basically equates A and Z. • If we don’t want Z to occur, then A must not be allowed to occur either. Example: Parents who do not set a curfew for their children are setting them up for failure. Their children will stay out late at night, become involved in self-destructive activities, develop dangerous habits, get arrested, and wind up in a life of crime, resulting in long-term imprisonment.
Non Sequitur [Latin: “it does not follow” or Not in sequence] • One point or argument does not follow logically from the preceding one, i.e., no logical relationship exists between two or more supposedly connected ideas.
Non Sequitur [Latin: “it does not follow” or Not in sequence] Example: He has my vote for senator, because he has the best shirts. (What does a campaign organization have to do with qualifications?)
False Authority False authority is a tactic used mainly in advertising that presents people as “authorities” on products or issues. . However, an authority in one field may know nothing of another field. • Being knowledgeable in one area doesn’t constitute knowledge in other areas. • Usually celebrities and sports figures are used in this tactic.
False Authority • Example: • “My uncle is a podiatrist, and he only takes Sweet Valley daily chewable vitamin C, and so should you.” • A podiatrist is a foot doctor. • What does a foot doctor know about the best vitamin supplement brands on the market? • A foot doctor would be an authority on products related to foot care (i.e. corn pads, arch supports, etc.).
Post hocLatin: “Occurring after this, therefore resulting from it” Post hoc is a conclusion that assumes a cause/effect relationship between two sequential events. (i.e. If A occurred after B, then B must have caused A.) A cause and effect relationship between two sequential events; often very unreasonable
Post hocLatin: “Occurring after this, therefore resulting from it” Example: “Eating five candy bars and drinking two sodas before a test helps me get better grades. I did that and got an A on my last test in history.” * This ignores other possible causes like how much this student studied or how easy the test was.
Post Hoc – Faulty Cause/Effect • A man ate pizza everyday. That man lived to be 100. Eating pizza everyday will make you live a long life.
Straw Man • Misrepresents the context from which a quotation is taken; putting words or ideas in people’s mouth/head; creating a “dummy” or fake or falsified argument or situation so you can attack it . • It appears to be a human. It draws the attention of animals without even really being anything more than a fixture. It isn't real, yet the animals are concerned about it.
Straw Man Bill and Jill are arguing about cleaning out their closets: Jill: "We should clean out the closets. They are getting a bit messy." Bill: "Why, we just went through those closets last year. Do we have to clean them out everyday?" Jill: "I never said anything about cleaning them out every day. You just want too keep all your junk forever, which is just ridiculous."
Straw man • "Senator Jones says that we should not fund the attack submarine program. I disagree entirely. I can't understand why he wants to leave us defenseless like that." • In this example, Senator Jones‘s position is misrepresented as one that wants to leave the country defenseless. The antagonist is making the assertion that: "Do not fund the attack submarine program" = "Leave the country defenseless." However the two statements are not equal, and it takes more work to argue against the former statement than the latter.
