Logical Fallacies Outline (PDF)

**Learning Objectives:** By the end of the lesson, you will be able to: \_\_\_\_\_\_Explain what a logical fallacy is and why you should avoid it \_\_\_\_\_\_Define "argument," "premise," and "conclusion" \_\_\_\_\_\_Identify different types of logical fallacies by their names, definition, and e...

**Learning Objectives:** By the end of the lesson, you will be able to: \_\_\_\_\_\_Explain what a logical fallacy is and why you should avoid it \_\_\_\_\_\_Define "argument," "premise," and "conclusion" \_\_\_\_\_\_Identify different types of logical fallacies by their names, definition, and examples **What Is a Fallacy?** - A fallacy is a mistake. A logical fallacy is a mistake in reasoning or a misleading argument. - Factual mistakes are sometimes known as fallacies, BUT we are concerned with logical errors. **Arguments** - An argument is a group of statements leading up to a conclusion. - The statements are called premises. Premise + Premise = Conclusion - Two types of mistakes can occur in arguments: 1. A factual error in the premises (concerned with the truthfulness of the premise, not with logic) 2. The premises fail to logically support the conclusion. **\>\>Common Logical Fallacies** **\ - Embodies an assumption that, if answered in the way it is posed, indicates that the person agrees or is guilty of something. Faulty Statistics ================= - Taking true statistics out of context or misinterpreting statistics to help a weak argument. - E.g., Most people in the United States die in hospitals, therefore, stay out of them. Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc ========================== - This is a time-dependent non-sequitur (doesn't follow -- unrelated). - It is predicated on the belief that if A happened before B, A must have caused B to happen. While that may be true in some cases, what makes it a fallacy is to simply jump to that conclusion based on chronological order. - E.g., She got sick after she visited Cuba, so something in Cuba caused her sickness. Perhaps her sickness came from something entirely independent from Cuba. Red Herring =========== - When the arguer distracts from the real issue by bringing up irrelevant points or information that changes the topic. - E.g., "I should not pay a fine for reckless driving. There are many other people on the street who are dangerous criminals and rapists, and the police should be chasing them, not harassing a decent tax-paying citizen like me." Slippery Slope ============== - Claiming---without any evidence---that a change in procedure, law, or action, will result in a series of events that will lead to something extremely negative or disastrous. - The belief is that a domino effect will unfold in which, If the first step is undertaken, a second or third step will inevitably follow. Straw Man ========= - A person intentionally misrepresents the other side's argument to make it easy to argue against it. In other words, they argue against a made-up scenario rather than their opponent's original argument. - This is a lame attempt to \"prove\" an argument by overstating, exaggerating, or over-simplifying the arguments of the opposing side. - Making "fake" points and knocking them down is like fighting a straw man. You are fighting a dummy argument. Two Wrongs Make a Right ======================= - Trying to justify our own wrongdoing by pointing out someone else has done/is doing the same. Tu Quoque ========== - Tu quoque \[pronounced "too kwoh-kwe"\] means and you too in Latin. - It points out the hypocrisy of the speaker to discredit his/her argument. - The guilt of the speaker is irrelevant! Even if the person could be labeled a hypocrite, what he/she says should be evaluated independently of who is saying it.