A
Name three types of informal fallacies.
Fallacies of distraction, fallacies of ambiguity, fallacies of form
What is an informal fallacy?
a popular but invalid (or unhelpful) form of argument
Asking a question in a way to exclude a legitimate response
complex question
The death penalty is wrong because the Bible says we shouldn't be cruel. And it would be cruel to do something so obviously wrong as kill someone in the name of the law.
Half the citizens of America can't be wrong about this issue.
ad populum
What are the 8 types of fallacies of distraction?
ipse dixit
ad populum
ad baculum
ad hominem
Bulverism
tu quoque
ad ignorantium
chronological snobbery
Translate the following Latin fallacies into English:
ad baculum, ad hominem, ipse dixit, tu quoque, post hoc ergo propter hoc
ad baculum - to the stick
ad hominem - to the man
ipse dixit - he said it himself
tu quoque - you too
post hoc ergo propter hoc - after this therefore because of this
ad ignorantium
This little dog just chased me down the street. I'm pretty sure dogs hate me.
apriorism
"I never murdered him with the candlestick in the library."
"Not with the candlestick in the Library, no. But you did murder him in the ballroom with the lead pipe, didn't you?"
accent
What are the 5 types of fallacies of ambiguity?
equivocation
accent
amphiboly
composition
division
Arguing that what is true of the whole must be true of each part.
division
My brother says zombies are attacking. He wouldn't life to me
ipse dixit
What is the chief end of man? His head of course.
equivocation
You can walk the plank or fight Captain Hook to the death.
either/or
circular reasoning
post hoc ergo propter hoc
either/or
complex question
Changing the meaning of a key term mid-argument
equivocation
You think flight attendants should get paid more because you were a flight attendant
Bulverism
Don't even think about spreading that slander about my campaign. You don't want to end up in prison, do you?
ad baculum
When are you going to give back the bike you stole?
complex question
What two questions do you ask to detect and identify informal fallacies?
1. What is he trying to prove?
2. How is he trying to prove it?
Dismissing an argument by explaining why it is believed.
Bulverism
Swarms of locusts do terrible damage. So every time I see one, I squish it.
division
Doctor: I can't find the cause of your illness, but I suspect it's due to drinking.
Patient: All right, I'll come back when you're sober.
amphiboly
No one has ever shown me a dead alien so I've got to assume they are still alive and out there!
ad ignorantium