Are you losing an argument to a logical fallacy? Part 3
In the last couple of postings, we looked at 20 logical fallacies and gave examples. Here are the next 10 ....
A recap … A logical fallacy is an error in reasoning or an idea that does not make sense logically. There are two major types of logical fallacies, formal and informal. In formal fallacies, there needs to be a solution to how you structure your argument and make your points. You might be speaking the truth, but the logic breaks down because of the way you're putting your arguments together.
What are you saying in informal fallacies? The information might need to be corrected or more accurate. This posting will focus on informal fallacies expected in everyday debate. You will start to see these in use in both others' arguments and your own.
Last 10
Reductio ad Absurdum (“reduce to the absurd”) – while a good debating practice, it can lead you to make false comparisons.
Example: If you are skeptical of Aliens, you should be skeptical about everything else you have never seen yourself.
Slippery Slope – logical extensions to make projections that aren’t necessarily true.
Example: If you let one break the law, no law will be followed.
Straw man – someone creates a weak version of your argument in a way that is easy for them to argue with but may not be the point you are making.
Example: Doctors who only prescribe medications miss the value of a healthy lifestyle (most doctors don’t only prescribe pharmaceuticals).
Tautology – argues with circular reasoning or A=B, therefore, B=A.
Example: Saying that therapeutic touch works because it manipulates the life force is a tautology because the definition of therapeutic touch is alleged manipulation.
Texas Sharpshooter – choosing the criteria for success or failure that support your point of view without evidence to support that point of view. It comes from the idea that a sharper shooter fires a bullet and then sees the impact and says it’s what he was aiming at.
Example: My answer to the question was close enough to the definition to make it right.
Moving Goalpost – an arbitrary change in criteria to suit the case you are trying to make.
Example: My team will win, but they lost and were winning at halftime.
Appeal to Antiquity – It must be right because it's been done for a long time.
Example: People used leeches for centuries, so there must be some basis for the treatment.
Appeal to nature – it's natural, so it must be good for you.
Example: Tobacco.
Fundamental Attribution Error – (more of a cognitive bias) attributing something to factors internal to someone else while rationalizing the same behavior in yourself.
Example: Someone didn’t do something because they are lazy, and you didn’t because it wasn’t a good use of your time.
Anomaly Hunting – finding a situation out of the ordinary and using that anomaly to make your argument.
Example: Crop circles (remember them) are perfect circles. Humans can’t draw perfect circles, so it must be aliens.
Bonus Fallacy
Fallacy-Fallacy – It doesn't mean you are wrong because you make a poor argument.
Example: if I accuse you of using a Straw-man argument, but you were right, then that’s the fallacy at work.
Being humble
None of us is perfect, and we all try and find shortcuts in the heat of an argument. One of the ways we make shortcuts is to jump in with fallacies. It doesn’t mean that we are being dishonest or trying to deceive. The same is true for others – give them the benefit of the doubt. You can point out where the fallacies are, but be gentle!