LEC 9: Bogus Logos Part II Induction Fallacies

What is hasty generalizing?

Drawing a general conclusion from too few cases.

What is an argument by anecdote?

Generalizing from a single personal story.

What is refutation by anecdote?

Using one counterexample to reject a population-level claim.

Why are anecdotes weak evidence?

They ignore variability, confounders, and sample size.

What is required for a legitimate generalization?

A large, diverse, and representative sample with qualified conclusions.

What is skewed generalizing?

Generalizing from an unrepresentative or atypical sample.

What is the self-selection fallacy?

Drawing conclusions from participants who voluntarily choose to be included.

Why is self-selection problematic?

It produces biased samples that do not represent the population.

What is the accident fallacy?

Applying a general rule to an exceptional or atypical case.

How does skewed generalizing differ from accident?

Skewed generalizing moves from atypical cases to general conclusions, while accident applies general rules to atypical cases.

What is a weak analogy fallacy?

An analogy that fails because similarities are irrelevant or differences are too significant.

What key question should be asked when evaluating an analogy?

Whether the similarities are relevant to the conclusion.

What makes an analogy strong?

Relevant shared characteristics with minimal critical differences.

What is the mistaken appeal to popularity?

Believing a claim is true because many people believe it.

Why does popularity not equal truth?

Because widespread belief does not provide empirical evidence.

What is the appeal to tradition?

Justifying a practice solely because it has been done historically.

Why is tradition not valid evidence?

Because past practice does not guarantee effectiveness or safety.

What is the bandwagon fallacy?

Encouraging belief or action because it is trendy or widely adopted.

Why is the bandwagon fallacy flawed?

Trendiness does not provide logical or scientific support.

What is the post hoc fallacy?

Assuming that because one event follows another, the first caused the second.

What is the cum hoc fallacy?

Assuming that because two events occur together, one caused the other.

What are alternative explanations for co-occurring events?

Reverse causation, a third variable, or coincidence.

Why does correlation not imply causation?

Because correlated variables may be influenced by other factors.

What is overlooking chance variation?

Assuming random fluctuations have meaningful causes.

What is regression to the mean?

Extreme values naturally returning toward the average.

What is a slippery slope fallacy?

Claiming that one action will inevitably lead to a chain of negative outcomes without evidence.

What is missing in a slippery slope argument?

Evidence that each step in the chain will occur.

What is an untestable statement?

A claim that cannot be confirmed or refuted by evidence.

What must a scientific claim be in principle?

Falsifiable.

Why are untestable statements problematic in kinesiology?

They fall outside evidence-based practice