******** REMINDERS ******** * A LOGICAL FALLACY is a mistake in reasoning that leads one to come to a fallacious conclusion. ============ two basic TYPES/categories of logical fallacies ============ * A FALLACY OF RELEVANCE is one where the arguer offers LOGICALLY IRRELEVANT reasons to support the conclusion. * This is covered in Chapter 5 of the text. * A FALLACY OF INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE is one where the premises may be relevant, but DON'T PROVIDE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE to support the conclusion. * This is covered in Chapter 6 of the text. ======== * Logical Fallacies of Relevance use logically irrelevant statements in ways that tend to fool the listener (either accidentally or deliberately) into believing the conclusion, despite that irrelevance. ======== ******** end of REMINDERS ******** * now, here are a few MORE logical fallacies of relevance: ------------ Red Herring Fallacy ------------ * Introducing irrelevant information or commentary as a means to avoid the original argument, or to claim that the irrelevant information settles the original argument * [note that a single argument CAN have multiple kinds of logical fallacies in it...!] * consider Straw Man and Red Herring: * BUT Straw Man DOES always involve MISREPRESENTING another person's argument or claim; (Red Herring does not necessarily misrepresent another person's claim) * Red Herring DOES always involve CHANGING or EVADING the issue (Straw Man does not necessarily change or evade the issue) ------------ Equivocation Fallacy ------------ * Using ambiguous language or multiple meanings of words to link premise(s) and conclusion in a non-logical way * committed when a key word is used in two or more senses in the same argument, and the apparent success of that argument depends on its shift in meaning ------------ Begging the Question Fallacy ------------ * Defending a Conclusion by using a (usually reworded) form of the Conclusion as a Premise! ************ MOVING ON to CHAPTER 6 - FALLACIES of INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE ************ * Mistakes in reasoning that occur because the premises, though logically relevant, do not provide sufficient evidence to support the conclusion ------------ Inappropriate Appeal to Authority ------------ * Citing an authority whose reliability is doubtful * authority: a person or source that possesses special knowledge, competence, or expertise in a particular field * what are some reasons that a person's/source's reliability as an authority might be doubted? * may not actually be a genuine authority on the subject at hand * may be categorized as biased on the subject at hand * beause their observations might be questionable * because it is not being cited corrrectly or in context * because the source conflicts with expert consensus * because the source might be already known to be generally unreliable ------------ Appeal to Ignorance ------------ * Claiming that a conclusion is true, simply because nobody has proved that the conclusion is false * The fallacy of treating a lack of evidence against a conclusion as evidence for the conclusion STOPPED HERE in class on Wednesday, we'll add more on Friday;