My wife pointed out that knowing the basic fallacies that can be encountered in a discussion / argument would be useful.
Here's the list we summarized from 'The Fallacy Detective' and other sources.
Here's the list we summarized from 'The Fallacy Detective' and other sources.
#1
What is a Fallacy?
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An
error in logic. A mistake in thinking.
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#2
Red Herring Fallacy
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The
introduction of an irrelevant point.
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#3
Ad Hominem (to the man)
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Attacking
the other person’s character or reason’s for believing something instead of
replying to his argument.
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#4
Genetic Fallacy
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Saying
the argument is no good because of where it began, how it began or who
thought of it.
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#5
Tu Quoque (you too)
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Dismissing
someone’s viewpoint on an issue because they are not a good example of
carrying it out
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#6
Faulty Appeal to Authority
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An
appeal to someone who has no special knowledge in the area being discussed.
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#7
Appeal to the People
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Claiming
the viewpoint is correct just because many other people agree with it.
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#8
Straw Man
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Changing
or exaggerating an opponent’s argument to make it easier to refute.
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#9
Making an Assumption
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Taking
something for granted, or accepting as true without proof.
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#10
Circular Reasoning
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An
argument which says that P is true because Q is true and Q is true because P
is true.because Q=P.
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#11
Equivocation
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Changing
the meaning of a word in the middle of an argument.
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#12
Loaded Question
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When someone asks two questions, but one
is hidden behind the other.
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#13
Part-to-Whole
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What
is true of part of something must be true of the whole thing together.
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#14
Whole-to-Part
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What
is true of something as a whole must be true of each of its parts.
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#15
Either-Or
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Thinking
we must choose between 2 things when we really have more choices.
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#16
Generalization
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Making
broad comments about a group of people or kinds of things.
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#17
Hasty Generalization
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Generalizing
about a group based upon a small or poor sample.
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#18
Analogy
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Assuming
that because 2 or more items are the same in some things, they will be the
same in others.
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#19
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
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Since
A happened before B, then A caused B.
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#20
Proof by Lack of Evidence
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Claiming
something is true because nobody has given evidence that it isn’t.
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#21
Manipulative Propaganda
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Playing
with our emotions in order to make us agree.
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#22
Appeal to Fear Propaganda
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Someone
makes you fear the consequences of not doing what he wants.
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#23
Appeal to Pity Propaganda
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Someone
makes you act out of pity.
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#24
Bandwagon Propaganda
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Pressuring
us to do something because many other people are doing it.
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#25
Exigency Propaganda
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Pressuring
you to do something only because there is a time limit.
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#26
Repetition Propaganda
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Repeating
a message loudly and very often so that it will be believed.
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#27
Transfer Propaganda
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Getting
people to transfer feelings about one thing to another unrelated thing.
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#28
Snob Appeal Propaganda
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Persuading
others to use a product because it will make them better than others.
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#29
Appeal to Tradition
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Persuading
others to use or do something only because others did it in the past.
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#30
Appeal to High Tech
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Persuading
others to get something only because it is the latest thing.
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This is a great start, just found the link through AQ. Recognition of fallacies is the first step to having a productive argument. I hope many catholic gentlemen will recognize this and bring thought provoking discussion to the content of this site. An organization called The Teaching Company has an excellent DVD series on argumentation that is an Aug 101 college class. It might help in your efforts to evangelize the N. O. attendees, you might create links to sources that would help the mechanics of the discussions. I look forward to refering my N.O. family members and friends to this site.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless
Here's another website featuring logical fallacies:
ReplyDeletehttp://changingminds.org/disciplines/argument/fallacies/fallacies.htm
http://changingminds.org/disciplines/argument/fallacies/fallacies_alpha.htm