Key Terms
In accordance with laws of logic: logical.
RATIONAL
"Every ingredient is tasty, so the dish will be tasty."
THE FALLACY OF COMPOSITION
"This law of logic says that a statement can't be true and false at the same time in the same sense."
LAW OF NON-CONTRADICTION
"The scientific position is evolution. Creation is just religious nonsense."
QUESTION-BEGGING EPITHET
To copy or imitate; to match the characteristics of another.
EMULATE
"The Bible is true because the Bible says so."
BEGGING THE QUESTION
Who or what is the source of all knowledge?
GOD
"If Genesis is true, then why is there so much evidence for an old earth?"
COMPLEX QUESTION
Opinions formed from evidence; what people reason to be true or likely true from evidence or reason.
INFERENCES
"Jogging is good for the heart. Bill has a bad heart condition and just had major heart surgery, so he should go jogging."
SWEEPING GENERALIZATION
An argument with an unstated premise or an unstated conclusion
ENTHYMEME
"Human beings cannot have any genuine free will. After all, we are made up entirely of atoms, which have no free will."
FALLACY OF COMPOSITION
A common error in reasoning.
FALLACY
"We started to allow creation to be taught in our science classes, and the test scores dropped. So do you see what teaching creation does?"
POST HOC ERGO PROPTER HOC
What is a common error in reasoning that is not due to the structure of the argument?
INFORMAL FALLACY
"Thy synapses of the brain must have at least some degree of consciousness since the brain is made up of these synapses and is conscious."
FALLACY OF DIVISION
An argument in which the conclusion is certainly true if the premises are.
DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENT
"The earth's surface is mostly water. The state of Nevada is part of the earth's surface. Therefore, Nevada is mostly water."
FALLACY OF DIVISION
The belief that one event causes another with no logical reason to believe such thing...
SUPERSTITION
"What force created all the intricate parts of organisms, as well as the magnificent features on earth? Is it some 'creator'? No. It is time. Time designs organisms, builds mountains, and moves continents."
REIFICATION FALLACY