Fallacies in Argumentation Overview

How does the presence of a common market impact the effectiveness of fiscal policies implemented by individual member states?

Which of the following scenarios represents a situation where discretionary fiscal policy would be most effective in stabilizing an economy?

What is the primary risk associated with using fiscal policy to address a short-term economic downturn when the national debt is already high?

How do automatic stabilizers function in an economy, and what is their primary advantage over discretionary fiscal policy?

In the context of fiscal policy, what is the 'crowding-out effect,' and under what conditions is it most likely to occur?

Chapter Overview

Arguments can be good or bad, depending on the relationship between premises and conclusion
A fallacy is a defect in an argument that consists in something other than merely false premises
Fallacies often involve mistakes in reasoning or creating illusions to make a bad argument appear good
Fallacies can be committed in deductive or inductive arguments due to problems in reasoning, argument form, or premise content

Types of Fallacies

Formal fallacies: structural defects in deductive arguments
Informal fallacies: defects in the content of an argument (beyond structure)

Informal Fallacies

Fallacies of relevance: premises are logically irrelevant to the conclusion
- Fallacy of appeal to force
- Fallacy of appeal to pity
- Fallacy of appeal to the people
  - Bandwagon fallacy
  - Appeal to vanity
  - Appeal to snobbery
- Argument against the person (ad hominem)
  - Ad hominem abusive
  - Ad hominem circumstantial
  - Tu quoque
- Missing the point (ignoratio elenchi)
- Red herring
Fallacies of weak induction: premises offer weak support for the conclusion
- Appeal to unqualified authority
- Hasty generalization
- False cause
  - Post hoc, ergo propter hoc
  - Non causa pro causa
- Weak analogy
Fallacies of presumption: premises presume what they purport to prove
- Begging the question (petitio principii)
- Complex question
- False dichotomy
- Suppressed evidence

This quiz explores various types of fallacies in argumentation, distinguishing between formal and informal fallacies. It delves into how fallacies affect reasoning and provide examples of relevance issues, such as appeals to force and pity. Test your understanding of these concepts and enhance your argument evaluation skills.