Fallacies of Irrelevance and Composition

Fallacies of Irrelevance: Poisoning the Well

• This fallacy rejects a claim due to the claimant's circumstances or motives.

• It discredits the source, preventing merit assessment.

• Example: Dismissing a woman's opinion on abortion due to her gender.

• Attacking the Fallacy: Challenge the arguer directly (unless it's unproductive). Express interest in their argument despite the criticism.

Unwarranted Assumption Fallacies: Fallacy of Composition

• This fallacy assumes what's true of parts is true of the whole.

• Often confused with hasty generalization.

• Example: "Dan is a great guy; Becky is a great girl; they'll make a great couple." (doesn't consider other factors)

• Attacking the Fallacy: Demonstrate how the whole might be different from the sum of its parts.

Begging-the-Question Fallacies: Circular Reasoning

• Arguing for a conclusion based on premises that assume the conclusion's truth.

• Example #1: Claiming you can't get a C because you're an A student (A student definition includes no C's).

• Example #2: A cult leader is infallible, and their statements are true precisely because they're infallible.

• Attacking the Fallacy: Point out the conclusion is already assumed in the evidence.

Begging-the-Question Fallacies: Loaded or Complex Question

• Formulates a question assuming a prior unasked question has a definite answer.
• Example: "Where will you be going to college next year?" (assumes you're going).

Begging-the-Question Fallacies: Leading Question

• "Plants" a desired answer by the wording of the question.

• Example: "You did plan to return the money, didn't you?" (assumes a dishonest action happened).

• Attacking the Fallacy: Simply point out the leading nature of the question.

Begging-the-Question Fallacies: Apriorism

• Refuses to consider evidence against a claim or assumption.

• Example: Refusing to accept biological evidence about human origins.

• Attacking the Fallacy: Probe the potential counterevidence and its significance.

Begging-the-Question Fallacies: Question-Begging Definition

• Attempts to prove a position using a questionable definition.

• Example: Claiming a politician wasn't a true Democrat because they switched parties.

• Attacking the Fallacy: Request a definition and clarify the difference between definitional and empirical claims.

Causal Fallacies: Causal Oversimplification

• Oversimplifies the causes of an event or series of events.

• Example: Attributing declining SAT scores only to increased phone/computer use.

• Attacking the Fallacy: Question the explanation's comprehensiveness; point out other possible causes.

Causal Fallacies: Post Hoc Fallacy

• Assumes one event causes another simply because it precedes it.

• Example: "My soccer team started winning after I bought new shoes."

• Attacking the Fallacy: Provide counter-examples to illustrate the fallacy.

Causal Fallacies: Confusion of Cause and Effect

• Misidentifies cause and effect, or overlooks reciprocal relationships.

• Example: "He's the teacher's pet because he makes good grades."

• Attacking the Fallacy: Explore the possibility that the situation is reciprocal, or that effects could cause causes.

Causal Fallacies: Domino Fallacy

• Assumes a chain reaction with no supporting evidence.
• Example: The domino theory during the Vietnam War (Communist takeover of Vietnam would lead to other countries falling).

Causal Fallacies: Gambler's Fallacy

• Assumes past events affect future probabilities of chance events.

• Example: "It's been heads five times in a row, so it has to be tails next."

• Attacking the Fallacy: Understanding and explaining that prior events don't change future probabilities of independent events.