CH4 exercise 1
Classroom Updates and Schedule
Greetings and Plans
Opening remarks: Good afternoon, everyone.
Inquiry about weekend plans: Happy Wednesday; inquired about any exciting plans for the upcoming weekend.
Personal update: "I don't have much [planned]."
Class Structure for the Day
Focus on Chapter Four contents.
Exercises will be addressed, but it is not one class endeavor.
Expectation to cover "most of think probably the rest of what's there in section one for exercise one" during the current session.
Exercise two will be tackled on the following Monday.
Future Classes
New material from Chapter Five to commence early next week.
Correction on exam date: It will be in two weeks, around the 15th (Wednesday).
Review sheet: Will be provided next week; crucial for exam preparation.
Importance of Exercises
Importance stressed on doing exercises individually as preparation for the exam.
Fallacy Discussion (Exercises)
Fallacy Types
C:
Example: "The journalist who writes all this article about global warming drives an RV…"
Restructured Argument: "The journalist drives an RV, therefore, their argument about global warming is invalid."
Identified fallacy: Circumstantial Ad Hominem.
Explanation: Relevant because the journalist's background affects the credibility of their argument about greenhouse effects.
D:
Example: "It's okay to take advantage of all those tax loopholes…"
Restructured Argument: "Other people take advantage of tax loopholes; therefore, it's acceptable for me to do so too."
Identified fallacy: Two Wrong don’t make a right.
Explanation: Justification based on others acting immorally does not make the action right.
E:
Example: "Our organization ought to implement affirmative action policies for women…"
Restructured Argument: "You want to implement affirmative action policies for women, implying you only care about women and not about merit; therefore, your proposal is flawed."
Identified fallacy: Straw Person or possibly Ad Hominem.
Explanation: Distortion of opposing argument focusing on character instead of argument's validity.
F:
Example: "Echinacea is excellent for colds. Everyone should take it. My friend Gina takes it…"
Restructured Argument: "My friend Gina took Echinacea and it helped her cold; therefore, Echinacea is excellent for everyone and everyone should take it."
Identified fallacy: Anecdotal evidence or Hasty Generalization.
Explanation: Using a single case (Gina's experience) to make a general claim about efficacy.
G:
Example: "I always believe the stories Lee tells me…"
Restructured Argument: "I believe Lee's stories because Lee is a reliable person, and I know Lee is reliable because I always believe their stories."
Identified fallacy: Begging the Question (Circular Reasoning).
Explanation: "Reliable" is asserted without independent justification.
H:
Example: "I don't support vegetarianism…"
Restructured Argument: "Vegetarianism is often supported by radical activists; therefore, I don't support vegetarianism."
Identified fallacy: Guilt by Association or Abusive Ad Hominem.
Explanation: Discrediting an argument based on the speaker's character or associated groups.
I:
Example: "People who aren't working don't want to work…"
Restructured Argument: "Those business people I know say that people who aren't working simply don't want to work; therefore, it is true that people who aren't working don't want to work."
Identified fallacy: Hasty Generalization.
Explanation: Generalization based on anecdotal evidence from business people's opinions.
J:
Example: "One shouldn't believe everything about animal treatment; it’s propaganda from animal rights activists…"
Restructured Argument: "Information about animal mistreatment comes from animal rights activists, who are biased; therefore, that information should not be believed."
Identified fallacy: Ad Hominem.
Explanation: Character attack rather than addressing the argument regarding animal treatment.
K:
Example: "It’s not right that people are mistreated…"
Restructured Argument: "You are concerned about animal mistreatment, but human mistreatment is also an issue; therefore, your concern about animal mistreatment is misplaced."
Identified fallacy: Red Herring.
Explanation: Introducing unrelated argument about human mistreatment distracts from original issue of animal mistreatment.
L:
Example: "You can't rely on college students to be punctual…"
Restructured Argument: "I had a bad experience with a few college students being late; therefore, all college students are unreliable when it comes to punctuality."
Identified fallacy: Hasty Generalization.
Explanation: Generalizing about all college students from a single negative experience.
Further Fallacies
M:
Example: "Arguments against pit bulls are irrelevant because of worse human issues…"
Restructured Argument: "There are worse human issues in the world than concerns about pit bulls; therefore, arguments against pit bulls are irrelevant."
Identified fallacy: Red Herring.
Explanation: Distracts from the specific argument about pit bull safety.
N:
Example: "Women accused of adultery in Iran are stoned…"
Restructured Argument: "Women accused of adultery in Iran have traditionally been stoned; therefore, stoning women accused of adultery is justified."
Identified fallacy: Appeal to Tradition.
Explanation: Justifying action based on long-standing tradition without moral basis.
O:
Example: "Men are not capable of being faithful…"
Restructured Argument: "Based on my personal experiences, some men have not been faithful; therefore, all men are not capable of being faithful."
Identified fallacy: Hasty Generalization.
Explanation: Deducing a conclusion about all men based on personal experiences.
P:
Example: "Tom has spoken against the invasions…"
Restructured Argument: "Tom spoke against the invasions, which implies he supports terrorism; therefore, Tom is a supporter of terrorism."
Identified fallacy: Straw Person.
Explanation: Misrepresenting Tom's argument by claiming he supports terrorism.
Wrap Up
Next Steps: - Work on remaining exercises over the weekend.
Start reading Chapter Five in anticipation of new material to be introduced next Monday.
Upcoming class activities: - Additional exercises and new argument types to be discussed.
Resources: - Review sheets will soon be available to guide exam preparation.