Definitions
A commonly recognized bad argument failing to meet the requirements of relevance, clarity, or presumption.
Fallacy
Arguments against the source (fountain).
Ad Fontem Arguments
What is the "art and science of reasoning?"
Logic
What is the Greek word for "loving" or "friend".
Philio
"The topic under discussion" or the first question asked at the beginning of every argument.
Issue. What is the issue at hand?
To provide rational reasons for or against an idea or action with the intent to persuade.
Argue
"to the man" or "against the man"
Ad Hominem abusive
Abstract reasoning. Deductive reasoning. Arguments. Premises. Syllogisms.
Formal Logic
Greek word for "wisdom".
Sophia
The first of 3 principles of critical thinking that comes after "What is the issue at hand?" The first category of fallacies on the fallacy tree.
(Principle of) Relevance. Is the argument relevant to the issue at hand?
A right understanding of reality.
Truth
A fallacy where the speaker says or implies that his rival's circumstances make his argument untrustworthy.
Ad Hominem Circumstantial
Ordinary language arguments. Inductive reasoning. Fallacies.
Informal Logic
Latin word for "general class" for categorizing things. Begins with a "g".
Genus
The art of convincing others
Persuasion
Right thinking in the way an argument is constructed; it helps us make sense of arguments.
Validity
"you too"
Tu Quoque
Whole-to-part reasoning that determines the validity of a formal argument.
Deductive Reasoning
Greek: ta meta ta physicka. "What is really real?"
Metaphysics
A person who resorts to sneaky and manipulative tricks to persuade others.
Demagogue
Techniques used to influence the opinions of others to do or believe something that they otherwise might now.
Propaganda
A fallacy that can be tricky to identify. An argument that states that an idea or believe should be discounted simple because of it's source or origin.
Genetic Fallacy
Part-to-whole reasoning used to determine the validity of an informal argument by starting with evidence that can be observed and put together.
Inductive Reasoning
Greek: epistasthai. "to stand upon." Branch of philosophy that studies the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge. "How can we know what we know?"
Epistemology
Greek word that means "reason," "word," or "study."
Logos