csk class just to be sure 15/12/2023

logical forms (valid forms of argument) and fallacies (= denkfouten)

  • sometimes used on purpose to convince

important point: not bc soeome arrives at a conclusion with fallacy, that conclusion is wrong

it can show a weakness, when you don’t have arguments, make your position look stronger

remember: if fallacy works, people accept it, means you should look more closely at it

exam: identify the fallacy or what kind of fallacy

CATEGORIZING FALLACIES (→ where does the logic break down?) powerpoint

fallacies of satisfactoriness

  • begging the question

  • ambipholy

  • equivocation

  • false dilemma/dichotomy

  • strawman/strawperson

  • improper appeal to authority (verecundiam)

  • inconsistency

  • non sequitor (it doens’t follow)

  • ad hominem types

    • abusive ad hominem: claim not accepted bc of characteristic of arguer

    • ad hominem to quoque (hipocracy): bc of what arguer does (smoker says don’t smoke)

    • circumstantial ad hominem: the arguer has some motive

  • affirming the consequent

  • denying the antcedent

  • red herring !!!!! irrelevant argument to distract reader

  • whataboutism (two wrongs make a right) !!!!

miscellaneous improper appeals

  • appeal to force

  • appeal to fear and pity

  • ad populum

  • appeal to tradition

  • appeal to ignorance

fallacies

  • guilt by association

  • hasty generalization

  • sweeping generalization

  • quantitative fallacies

  • false/faulty analogy

  • composition fallacy

  • division fallacy

  • post-hoc fallacy

  • conflating correlation with causation

  • common cause fallcy: claims there is a relationship A-B while there is a third thing C that caused A and B

  • slippery slope fallacy

  • loaded question: you’re being forced to accept the premise, answer and even explain why

  • reification/hypostatization

  • category error

other fallacies

  • euphemism

  • vagueness

  • stacking the cards/cherry-picking

  • genetic fallacy: let the ligitimacy depend on the origin and history of a claim

writing and assessing argumentative essay

p.348lavery, hughes en doran

don’t need to diagram the arguments