Fallacies - Inductive Arguments, Summaries of Philosophy

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Inductive Arguments:

Fallacies

ID1050– Quantitative & Qualitative Reasoning

Analyzing an Inductive Argument

• In an inductive argument, the conclusion follows from its premises with some likelihood.
• Inductive arguments can be strong, weak, or somewhere between.
• Ways to attack an inductive argument:
  • Introduce additional (contradictory) premises that weaken the argument.
  • Question the accuracy of the supporting premises.
  • Identify one (or more) logical fallacies in the argument.

Formal and Informal Fallacies

• Formal fallacy example:
  • All humans are mammals. All dogs are mammals. So, all humans are dogs.
  • This argument has a structural flaw. The premises are true, but they do not logically lead to the conclusion. This would be uncovered by the use of symbolic logic.
• Informal fallacy example:
  • All feathers are light. Light is not dark. So, all feathers are not dark.
  • The structure of this argument is actually correct. The error is in the content (different meanings of the word ‘light’.) It uses a fallacy called ‘Equivocation’.

Lists of Fallacies

• There are a great number of identified fallacies of the informal type. Following are some good websites that list them and provide definitions and examples. Keep in mind that some fallacies have other names. - The Fallacy Files: http://fallacyfiles.org - Stephen’s Guide: https://www.fallacies.ca/toc.htm - Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy
• We will focus on only ten fallacies for this course.
  • Against the Person, Appeal to Force, Appeal to Pity, Argument from Ignorance, Argument to the People, Appeal to Authority, Accident, Hasty Generalization, Begging the Question, and False Cause
• The best way to learn fallacies is to look at examples of them.
  • To get a better understanding of each fallacy, explore these websites and do internet searches to observe more examples of each fallacy.

Appeal to Force

This fallacy is committed when one of the premises has a threat or implication of danger.

• Other names: Scare tactics, argumentum ad baculum
• Example: You are not to drive the family car any more this week. If you do, you will find yourself living in the dog house for a month. - Corrected: You are not to drive the car this week, because you bring it back without gas and you got a ticket last week. Links Stephen’s Guide Fallacy Files IEP Supporting your argument not by facts but by an implied threat. “You’d better raise my grade because my father knows the principal.”

Appeal to Pity

This fallacy can be recognized by one or more premises intended to appeal to your emotion rather than your reason.

• Other names: Argumentum ad misericortium
• Example: Dr. Smith, I know I missed the last test but I would really like you to throw it out because my life has been a mess. My girlfriend broke up with me, and my grandmother is ill. - Corrected: Dr. Smith, may I be given a chance to make up the exam? My ex-girlfriend, who gives me rides to campus, broke up with me right before the exam yesterday. Links Stephen’s Guide Fallacy Files IEP

Argument to the People

This fallacy is committed when the only premise is that other people accept it to be true. It is very common in advertising.

• Other names: Bandwagon, appeal/argument to the people/popularity
• Example: If you want to be as cool as the people in this commercial, then you have to drink the same beer that they do. - Corrected: Drink this beer because it has a great taste and is an excellent bargain, as well. Links Stephen’s Guide Fallacy Files IEP

Appeal to Authority

Arguments may be strengthened by the support of a legitimate expert, but not by a person who is not a recognized authority on the subject.

• Other names: Appeal to False Authority/Celebrity, name-dropping
• Example: Quantum mechanics proves that the mind is independent of the brain, a question philosophers have had for years. I just learned this from my orthopedic surgeon. - Corrected: Quantum mechanics proves that the mind is independent of the brain, a question philosophers have had for years. I just learned this from my philosophy teacher. Links Stephen’s Guide Fallacy Files IEP

Hasty Generalization

This fallacy is committed when one takes a very specific circumstance or a small set of data and tries to misapply it to a broad category or make a general rule from it. (Hasty Generalization is the converse of Accident.)

• Other names: Jumping to conclusions, stereotyping
• Example: Some friends from California are staying with us. They drive like maniacs, speeding, passing on the right, running red lights. I guess people from California are really irresponsible drivers. - Corrected: Our friends from California speed, pass on the right, and run red lights. I guess my friends are really irresponsible drivers. Links Stephen’s Guide Fallacy Files IEP

Begging the Question

This fallacy occurs when the conclusion is used as one of the premises. Often the offending premise has been restated in a way to obscure the fact it is being used as the conclusion.

• Other names: Circular reasoning, vicious circle
• Example: Tom Clancy is a better writer than Stephen King because people with discerning taste prefer Clancy over King. You can always identify people with discerning taste by the fact that they like Clancy much more than King. - Corrected: Tom Clancy is a better writer than Stephen King because Clancy’s novels use more intricate plots, his characters are fully developed, and his stories are plausible. Links Stephen’s Guide Fallacy Files IEP

A List of Fallacies: Reasoning Errors in Content

Fallacy Other Names Stephen’s Guide Fallacy Files IEP Against the Person Ad hominem Link Link Link Appeal to Force Scare tactic Link Link Link Appeal to Pity Link Link Link Argument from Ignorance Appeal to ignorance Link Link Link Argument to the People Appeal to the people/popularity; Bandwagon Link Link Link Appeal to Authority False authority; name dropping Link Link Link Accident Sweeping generalization Link Link Link Hasty Generalization Jumping to conclusions Link Link Link Begging the Question Circular reasoning Link Link Link False Cause Superstition; Post hoc; Cum hoc Link Link Link

Image Attributions

• Rhetological Arguments – Information is Beautiful – David McCandless http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/rhetological-fallacies/ Additional Links
• Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments
• Flag on the Play! Logic Memes