Hindrances Due To Basic Human Limitations
SSgt Rodriguez, a diligent and experienced supervisor, is tasked with writing a promotion recommendation for one of his subordinate Airmen, SrA Johnson. He has heard numerous testimonials about SrA Johnson’s work ethic, leadership skills, and technical expertise from other supervisors and colleagues. These stories highlight Johnson’s exceptional performance during a recent deployment and his ability to motivate the team.
Testimonial Evidence
SSgt Karen Thompson sends an email titled “Personnel
Action Required.” The email reads: Per our cross-domain integration strategy, I hereby request your
immediate attention to the non-linear task prioritization framework. The core competencies matrix indicates a critical anomaly in the duty assignments algorithm. Please ensure alignment with the dynamic resource allocation protocol. Operational synergy is paramount. Capt. Hernandez squints at the email. “What anomaly? What protocol?” she mutters.
Gobbledygook
Capt. Hernandez proposes a change in the maintenance schedule to optimize aircraft availability. She suggests reducing routine inspections from daily to weekly. SSgt Thompson: “Ma’am, I appreciate the proposal, but if we reduce daily inspections, it’ll open the floodgates. Soon, critical issues will go undetected. Aircraft reliability will plummet, and our mission readiness will suffer.” SrA Mills: (raising an eyebrow) “But SSgt Thompson, do we have any evidence that weekly inspections will lead to widespread equipment failures?”
Slippery Slope Fallacy
Maj. Reynolds reviews the draft of an article submitted by SrA Carter. The article discusses recent base events related to a controversial political issue. Maj. Reynolds: “Carter, we need to tone down the language in this article. The base commander wants a positive spin. Let’s avoid mentioning any dissenting viewpoints.” SrA Carter: (hesitant) “But Maj. Reynolds, isn’t our duty to provide accurate information? Shouldn’t we include diverse perspectives?”
Political Censorship
SSgt Adams is a seasoned supervisor responsible for
evaluating Airmen during promotion boards. He firmly
believes that technical proficiency is the most critical
factor for career advancement. As a result, he tends to
focus on evidence that confirms this belief while
downplaying or overlooking contrary information.
Confirmation Bias
SSgt Lawson is tasked with providing Amn Parker her first mission brief. During the briefing, SSgt Lawson begins, “As everyone knows, our stealth insertion techniques are flawless. Common sense tells us that our team will execute this mission flawlessly.” Amn Parker listens attentively but feels a twinge of doubt due to Lawson’s certainty.
Assuming Expressions
The office printer suddenly stops working. SrA Mills is
baffled, and SSgt Thompson offers an explanation. SSgt Thompon says, “Mills, I’ve figured it out. The printer malfunctioned because you wore mismatched socks today.” SrA Mills responds, “What? How does my sock choice affect the printer?” The office printer is eventually fixed by the IT team, unrelated to SrA Mills’ socks. The incident serves as a reminder not to jump to conclusions based on mere timing.
Post Hoc Fallacy
SSgt Miller takes the stage to encourage donations for a local animal shelter. She shares heartwarming stories of rescued pets and their journey to finding loving homes. She says, “Ladies and gentlemen, think about the abandoned puppies and kittens shivering in the cold. Imagine their sad eyes, longing for warmth and care. Your donation can change their lives!” SrA Joseph feels a tug at his heartstrings, but he wonders how donating money directly helps those animals.
Emotional Appeals
SrA Deontae notices that SrA Parker consistently shows up to work two hours late. Deontae is frustrated because he always shows up to work early and does his best every day. Deontae assumes Parker is unreliable and incapable of completing daily tasks.
Perception Limitations
Lt. Col. Mitchell announces, “We’re launching Operation
Phoenix Dawn. Our mission: to safeguard our skies and protect our nation.” Lt. Col. Mitchell continues, “Our objective is to neutralize the threat swiftly. We won’t allow harm to our personnel or assets.” Capt. Nguyen and SSgt Lawson’s mindsets are shaped due to the briefing.
Emotive Content
The team discusses potential changes to lunch hour breaks. Capt. Hernandez proposes instituting a staggered lunch schedule. SSgt Thompson raises her hand. “I appreciate the proposal,” she says, “but have you considered the impact of solar panels on base energy efficiency?”
Non Sequitur
SSgt Reynolds and SrA Carter debate the effectiveness of different workout routines during the fitness challenge. SSgt Reynolds: “Carter, your approach is weak! You’re just afraid of pushing yourself. No wonder you’re always lagging behind.” SrA Carter: (defensively) “Reynolds, attacking my dedication won’t make your high-intensity workouts any better. Let’s focus on the science behind our routines.”
Ad Hominem Fallacy
SSgt Ramirez is a cybersecurity specialist responsible for safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining
network security. SSgt Ramirez receives an alert indicating a potential data breach. Her memory recalls a similar incident from a few months ago, where an employee accidentally exposed classified files. Ramirez assumes this new incident is also due to user error.
False Memories and Confabulations
Capt. Patel hosts a seminar titled “Financial Freedom:
Strategies for Retirement.” Capt. Patel confidently states, “Investing in the Thrift Savings Plan guarantees
substantial returns. You’ll retire comfortably.” Capt. Patel continues, “Our military-specific investment options are risk-free. You won’t lose a penny.” Sgt. Rodriguez and Lt. Turner feel reassured. They only invest in the TSP G-fund since they were not informed on the process for diversifying their investments.
False Implications
Capt. Hernandez proposes implementing a new digital
filing system to reduce paperwork and improve efficiency. SSgt Thompson: “Ma’am, I appreciate the proposal, but let’s stick to our old paper-based system. We’ve been doing it this way for years, and we’ve always managed.” SrA Mills: (raising an eyebrow) “But SSgt Thompson, do we have any evidence that the paper-based system is more efficient or accurate?”
Pragmatic Fallacy
The IT committee reviews a proposal to switch to a new software system for base operations. Lt. Col. Rodriguez: “Team, I recommend adopting the new software system. Dr. Smith, a well-regarded tech expert, believes this change will revolutionize our operations.” SrA Turner: (raising an eyebrow) “But Lt. Col. Rodriguez, shouldn’t we evaluate the software’s functionality and compatibility with our existing systems?”
Irrelevant Appeal to Authority
Air traffic controllers often have difficulty making good judgments after long hours on duty
Physical & Emotional Hindrances
Referring to a policy of mass murder as “ethnic cleansing” or the inadvertent killing of innocent people as “collateral damage.”
Doublespeak Euphemisms
In ESP experiments, a “water witcher” using dowsing may find water at a slightly higher-than-chance rate over a brief period of time, and mistakenly assume this proves dowsing really works.
Clustering Illusion & Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy
94% of university professors think they are better at their jobs than their colleagues.
Wishful Thinking & Self Deception