IB Philosophy Logical Fallacies

circular argument

conclusion is identical to premise

EX: I’m a teacher @ GHS because I’m a teacher @ GHS.

begging the question

one would have to accept the conclusion in order to accept one of the argument’s premises

an appeal to authority

claiming that because an authority thinks something is the case, then it must therefore be the case

genetic fallacy

judging a claim or argument as either good or bad on the basis of where it comes from, or from whom it came

the black-or-white fallacy

considering 2 alternative states as the only possibilities, when in fact more possibilities exist

the middle ground fallacy

presuming that a compromise between two extremes must be the truth

anecdotal fallacy

deciding upon a position based on a personal experience or an isolated example

appeal to nature

presuming that because something is “natural” it is therefore justified, inevitably, good or ideal

ad hominem

attacking your interlocutor’s character or personal traits in an attempt to undermine their argument

the strawman fallacy

to interpret someone’s position in an unfairly weak way, and so argue against a position that nobody holds, or is likely to hold

argument

a set of sentences such that one sentence (the conclusion) follows necessarily from the other sentences (the premise)

premise

a statement regarding what is the case (taken as a fact)

syllogism

particular form of a deductive argument with three components: major premise, minor premise, conclusion

enthymeme

an argument with a suppressed premise

deductive argument

conclusion is no broader than its premises; non-ampliative, the conclusion is contained within the content of the premises

inductive argument

they have a conclusion that is broader than its premises; ampliative

ampliative

difference between an inductive and deductive argument; deductive is not, inductive is

valid argument

conclusion follows from premises; form over content

well-grounded argument

based on only accurate premises; accurate premises regardless of the form of the argument

sound argument

valid and well-grounded

logical fallacy

identifiable category of argument where the argument does not lead to its conclusion