Critical Reading & Argumentation: Fallacies and Counterargumentation

Revision test based on the assigned readings from Jos Hornikx and Jean Wagemans.

Slippery Slope

Outgrowth of Pragmatic Argumentation. In which things go from bad to worse; the consequences becoming more and more unlikely.

False Analogy

Outgrowth of Analogy Argumentation. In which subjects in an analogy have so many differences that there is no serious comparison.

Authority Fallacy

Outgrowth of expertise argument, aka argumentum ad verecundiam. In which the author of a statement may not be knowledgeable or trustworthy.

Circular argumentation

Outgrowth of argument from identicals, aka petitio principii or “begging the question”. In which the premise on which the conclusion is based is already assumed true.

Ethical Fallacy

Outgrowth of argument from character. See: authority fallacy.

Personal Attack

Outgrowth of personal attack, aka argumentum ad hominem. In which you attack the author’s character/person and not their argument.

Appeal to the Stick

Outgrowth of appeal to the stick, aka argumentum ad baculum. In which the author threatens or coerces their opponent into agreeing to the stated conclusion.

Coniectura Counterargument

[Debate] Aka, conjecture. In which the author denies an accusation.

Definitional Counterargument

[Debate] In which the author redefines keywords or parameters to skirt blame.

Qualitative Counterargumentation

[Debate] Pitying circumstances.

Translative Counterargumentation

[Meta] In which the author agrees they are in the wrong, but the system or situation in which they are found guilty is also in the wrong.

Popular Opinion

Outgrowth of popular opinion, aka argumentum ad populum. In which a statement is taken for granted due to the number of people who agree with it.