Communications Real Life Example of An Argument Fallacy Discussion

As part of our discussion of critical thinking & reasoning and argument fallacies, you will provide a summary and explanation of a real-world example of an argument fallacy.

Identify and pick a Meme, Infographic, Tweet, Tik-Tok, or YouTube clip that commits one or more argument fallacies. Make sure it is trying to make a broader, cultural argument. Not just an example of a fallacy.

If it is a Meme, Infographic, or Tweet, include a screen shot of it at the top of the paper. If it is a Tik-Tok or YouTube clip provide the link at the top of the paper.

-Briefly describe the argument the piece you chose is making.

-What argument fallacy or fallacies is/ are committed? (See the file)

-How is the argument committing the fallacy/ fallacies. (Describe the fallacy/ fallacies in relation to your piece)

-Why is this argument potentially problematic? Why do we care about argument fallacies? (Use your own critical thinking and understanding of the piece to expand on the issues that arise from the proliferation of argument fallacies on social media).

Chapter 6 critical thinking & reasoning
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was sponsored by a multinational distributor of wine. In
fact, the study in question was
published in a trade journal
targeted to wine and alcohol
retailers. If Shonda had taken a
few extra minutes to critically
examine the study, she may have
been able to avoid the dreaded
“D.”
Shonda was researching
information for her upcoming
persuasive speech. Her goal
with the speech was to persuade
her classmates to drink a glass of
red wine every day. Her
argument revolved around the
health benefits one can derive
from the antioxidants found in
red wine. Shonda found an
article reporting the results of a
study conducted by a Dr. Gray.
According to Dr. Gray’s study,
drinking four or more glasses of
wine a day will help reduce the
chances of heart attack, increase
levels of good cholesterol, and
help in reducing unwanted fat.
Without conducting further
research, Shonda changed her
speech to persuade her
classmates to drink four or more
glasses of red wine per day. She
used Dr. Gray’s study as her
primary support. Shonda
presented her speech in class to
waves of applause and support
from her classmates. She was
shocked when, a few weeks later,
she received a grade of “D”.
Shonda’s teacher had also found
Dr. Gray’s study and learned it
Shonda’s story is just one of many
ways that critical thinking impacts our
lives. Throughout this chapter we will
consider the importance of critical
thinking in all areas of communication,
especially public speaking. We will
first take a more in-depth look at what
critical thinking is – and isn’t.
Before we get too far into the
specifics of what critical thinking is and
how we can do it, it’s important to clear
up a common misconception. Even
though the phrase critical thinking uses
the word “critical,” it is not a negative
thing. Being critical is not the same
thing as criticizing. When we criticize
something, we point out the flaws and
errors in it, exercising a negative value
judgment on it. Our goal with
criticizing is less about understanding
than about negatively evaluating. It’s
important to remember that critical
thinking is not just criticizing. While
the process may involve examining
flaws and errors, it is much more.
critical thinking defined
Just what is critical thinking then?
To help us understand, let’s consider a
common definition of critical thinking.
The philosopher John Dewey, often
considered the father of modern day
critical thinking, defines critical
thinking as:
“Active, persistent, careful
consideration of a belief or
supposed form of knowledge in
light of the grounds that support
it and the further conclusions to
which it tends” (Dewey, 1933, p.
9).
The first key component of Dewey’s
definition is that critical thinking is
active. Critical thinking must be done
by choice. As we continue to delve
deeper into the various facets of critical
thinking, we will learn how to engage
as critical thinkers.
Probably one of the most concise and
easiest to understand definitions is that
offered by Barry Beyer: “Critical
thinking… means making reasoned
judgments” (Beyer, 1995, p. 8). In
other words, we don’t just jump to a
conclusion or a judgment. We
rationalize and justify our conclusions.
A second primary component of critical
thinking, then, involves questioning.
As critical thinkers, we need to
question everything that confronts us.
Equally important, we need to question
ourselves and ask how our own biases
or assumptions influence how we judge
something.
In the following sections we will
explore how to do critical thinking
more in depth. As you read through
this material, reflect back on Dewey’s
and Beyer’s definitions of critical
thinking.
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critical thinking traits
and skills
Critical thinkers tend to exhibit
certain traits that are common to them.
These traits are summarized in Table
6.1 (adapted from Facione, 1990, p. 6):
Recall that critical thinking is an
active mode of thinking. Instead of just
receiving messages and accepting them
as is, we consider what they are saying.
We ask if messages are well-supported.
We determine if their logic is sound or
slightly flawed. In other words, we act
on the messages before we take action
based on them. When we enact critical
thinking on a message, we engage a
variety of skills including: listening,
analysis, evaluation, inference and
interpretation or explanation, and selfregulation (adapted from Facione,
1990, p. 6)
Next, we will examine each of these
skills and their role in critical thinking
in greater detail. As you read through
the explanation of and examples for
each skill, think about how it works in
conjunction with the others. It’s
important to note that while our
discussion of the skills is presented in a
linear manner, in practice our use of
each skill is not so straightforward. We
may exercise different skills
simultaneously or jump forward and
backward.
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Table 6.1
Traits of Critical Thinkers
OpenMindedness
Critical thinkers are open and receptive to all ideas and
arguments, even those with which they may disagree.
Critical thinkers reserve judgment on a message until they
have examined the claims, logic, reasoning, and evidence
used. Critical thinkers are fair-minded and understand that a
message is not inherently wrong or flawed if it differs from their
own thoughts. Critical thinkers remain open to the possibility
of changing their view on an issue when logic and evidence
supports doing so.
Analytic Nature
Critical thinkers are interested in understanding what is
happening in a message. Critical thinkers ask questions of the
message, breaking it into its individual components and
examining each in turn. Critical thinkers dissect these
components looking for sound logic and reasoning.
Systematic by
Method
Critical thinkers avoid jumping to conclusions. Critical thinkers
take the time to systematically examine a message. Critical
thinkers apply accepted criteria or conditions to their
analyses.
Inquisitive
Critical thinkers are curious by nature. Critical thinkers ask
questions of what is going on around them and in a message.
Critical thinkers want to know more and take action to learn
more.
Judicious
Critical thinkers are prudent in acting and making judgments.
Critical thinkers are sensible in their actions. That is, they don’t
just jump on the bandwagon of common thought because it
looks good or everyone else is doing it.
Truth-Seeking
Ethos
Critical thinkers exercise an ethical foundation based in
searching for the truth. Critical thinkers understand that even
the wisest people may be wrong at times.
Confident in
Reasoning
Critical thinkers have faith in the power of logic and sound
reasoning. Critical thinkers understand that it is in everyone’s
best interest to encourage and develop sound logic. More
importantly, critical thinkers value the power of letting others
draw their own conclusions.
most basic, hearing refers to the
physiological process of receiving
sounds, while listening refers to the
psychological process of interpreting or
making sense of those sounds.
Without an open-minded mind,
you can never be a great success.
~ Martha Stewart
listening
In order to understand listening, we
must first understand the difference
between listening and hearing. At its
Every minute of every day we are
surrounded by hundreds of different
noises and sounds. If we were to try to
make sense of each different sound we
would probably spend our day just
doing this. While we may hear all of
the noises, we filter out many of them.
They pass through our lives without
further notice. Certain noises,
however, jump to the forefront of our
consciousness. As we listen to them,
we make sense of these sounds. We do
this every day without necessarily
thinking about the process. Like many
other bodily functions, it happens
without our willing it to happen.
Critical thinking requires that we
consciously listen to messages. We
must focus on what is being said – and
not said. We must strive not to be
distracted by other outside noises or the
internal noise of our own preconceived
ideas. For the moment we only need to
take in the message.
Listening becomes especially
difficult when the message contains
highly charged information. Think
about what happens when you try to
discuss a controversial issue such as
abortion. As the other person speaks,
you may have every good intention of
listening to the entire argument.
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However, when the person says
something you feel strongly about you
start formulating a counter-argument in
your head. The end result is that both
sides end up talking past each other
without ever really listening to what the
other says.
analysis
Once we have listened to a message,
we can begin to analyze it. In practice
we often begin analyzing messages
while still listening to them. When we
analyze something, we consider it in
greater detail, separating out the main
components of the message. In a sense,
we are acting like a surgeon on the
message, carving out all of the different
elements and laying them out for
further consideration and possible
action.
Let’s return to Shonda’s persuasive
speech to see analysis in action. As
part of the needs section of her speech,
Shonda makes the following remarks:
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number of other health
problems. When I was
conducting research for my
speech, I read somewhere that
heart attacks are the number one
killer of men and the number two
killer of women. Think about
that. My uncle had a heart
attack and had to be rushed to
the hospital. They hooked him
up to a bunch of different
machines to keep him alive. We
all thought he was going to die.
He’s ok now, but he has to take a
bunch of pills every day and eat
a special diet. Plus he had to
pay thousands of dollars in
medical bills. Wouldn’t you like
to know how to prevent this from
happening to you?
If we were to analyze this part of
Shonda’s speech (see Table 6.2), we
could begin by looking at the claims
she makes. We could then look at the
evidence she presents in support of
these claims. Having parsed out the
various elements, we are then ready to
evaluate them and by extension the
message as a whole.
evaluation
When we evaluate something we
continue the process of analysis by
assessing the various claims and
arguments for validity. One way we
evaluate a message is to ask questions
about what is being said and who is
saying it. The following is a list of
Table 6.2
Claims
Americans today are some of the
unhealthiest people on Earth. It
seems like not a week goes by
without some news story relating
how we are the fattest country in
the world. In addition to being
overweight, we suffer from a





typical questions we may ask, along
with an evaluation of the ideas in
Shonda’s speech.
Is the speaker credible?
Yes. While Shonda may not be an
expert per se on the issue of health
benefits related to wine, she has made
herself a mini-expert through
conducting research.
Does the statement ring true or
false based on common sense?
It sounds kind of fishy. Four or more
glasses of wine in one sitting doesn’t
seem right. In fact, it seems like it
might be bordering on binge drinking.
Does the logic employed hold up
to scrutiny?
Based on the little bit of Shonda’s
speech we see here, her logic does
seem to be sound. As we will see later
on, she actually commits a few
fallacies.
What questions or objections are
raised by the message?
In addition to the possibility of
Shonda’s proposal being binge
drinking, it also raises the possibility of
creating alcoholism or causing other
long term health problems.
How will further information
affect the message?
More information will probably
contradict her claims. In fact, most
medical research in this area
Analysis of Shonda’s Speech
Evidence
Americans are unhealthy
America is the fattest country
Americans suffer from many
health problems



Some news stories about America
as the fattest country
Research about heart attacks
Story of her uncle’s heart attack
Heart attacks are the number
one killer of men
Heart attacks are the number two
killer of women
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contradicts the claim that drinking 4 or
more glasses of wine a day is a good
thing.
Will further information
strengthen or weaken the claims?
Most likely Shonda’s claims will be
weakened.
What questions or objections are
raised by the claims?
In addition to the objections we’ve
already discussed, there is also the
problem of the credibility of Shonda’s
expert “doctor.”
A wise man proportions his belief
to the evidence.
~ David Hume
inference and interpretation
or explanation
The next step in critically examining
a message is to interpret or explain the
conclusions that we draw from it. At
this phase we consider the evidence and
the claims together. In effect we are
reassembling the components that we
parsed out during analysis. We are
continuing our evaluation by looking at
the evidence, alternatives, and possible
conclusions.
Before we draw any inferences or
attempt any explanations, we should
look at the evidence provided. When
we consider evidence we must first
determine what, if any, kind of support
is provided. Of the evidence we then
ask:
1. Is the evidence sound?
2. Does the evidence say what the
speaker says it does?
3. Does contradictory evidence
exist?
4. Is the evidence from a valid
credible source?
Even though these are set up as yes
or no questions, you’ll probably find in
practice that your answers are a bit
more complex. For example, let’s say
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“Imply” or “Infer”?
For two relatively small words, imply and infer seem to generate an
inordinately large amount of confusion. Understanding the difference
between the two and knowing when to use the right one is not only a
useful skill, but it also makes you sound a lot smarter!
Let’s begin with imply. Imply means to suggest or convey an idea. A
speaker or a piece of writing implies things. For example, in Shonda’s
speech, she implies it is better to drink more red wine. In other words,
she never directly says that we need to drink more red wine, but she
clearly hints at it when she suggests that drinking four or more glasses a
day will provide us with health benefits.
Now let’s consider infer. Infer means that something in a speaker’s
words or a piece of writing helps us to draw a conclusion outside of
his/her words. We infer a conclusion. Returning to Shonda’s speech, we
can infer she would want us to drink more red wine rather than less. She
never comes right out and says this. However, by considering her
overall message, we can draw this conclusion.
Another way to think of the difference between imply and infer is:
A speaker (or writer for that matter) implies.
The audience infers.
Therefore, it would be incorrect to say that Shonda infers we should
drink more rather than less wine. She implies this. To help you
differentiate between the two, remember that an inference is
something that comes from outside the spoken or written text.
you’re writing a speech on why we
should wear our seatbelts at all times
while driving. You’ve researched the
topic and found solid, credible
information setting forth the numerous
reasons why wearing a seatbelt can
help save your life and decrease the
number of injuries experienced during
a motor vehicle accident. Certainly,
there exists contradictory evidence
arguing seat belts can cause more
injuries. For example, if you’re in an
accident where your car is partially
submerged in water, wearing a seatbelt
may impede your ability to quickly exit
the vehicle. Does the fact that this
evidence exists negate your claims?
Probably not, but you need to be
thorough in evaluating and considering
how you use your evidence.
A man who does not think for
himself does not think at all.
~ Oscar Wilde
self-regulation
The final step in critically examining
a message is actually a skill we should
exercise throughout the entire process.
With self-regulation, we consider our
pre-existing thoughts on the subject and
any biases we may have. We examine
how what we think on an issue may
have influenced the way we understand
(or think we understand) the message
and any conclusions we have drawn.
Just as contradictory evidence doesn’t
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automatically negate our claims or
invalidate our arguments, our biases
don’t necessarily make our conclusions
wrong. The goal of practicing selfregulation is not to disavow or deny our
opinions. The goal is to create distance
between our opinions and the messages
we evaluate.
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Table 6.3
Universal Standards of Reasoning
All reasoning has a purpose.
All reasoning is an attempt to
figure something out, to settle
some question, to solve some
problem.
All reasoning is based on
assumptions.
All reasoning is done from some
point of view.
All reasoning is based on data,
information, and evidence.
All reasoning is expressed
through, and shaped by,
concepts and ideas.
All reasoning contains inferences
or interpretations by which we
draw conclusions and give
meaning to data.
the value of critical thinking
In public speaking, the value of being
a critical thinker cannot be
overstressed. Critical thinking helps us
to determine the truth or validity of
arguments. However, it also helps us
to formulate strong arguments for our
speeches. Exercising critical thinking
at all steps of the speech writing and
delivering process can help us avoid
situations like Shonda found herself in.
Critical thinking is not a magical
panacea that will make us super
speakers. However, it is another tool
that we can add to our speech toolbox.
All reasoning leads somewhere
or has implications and
consequences.
logic and the role of
arguments
We use logic every day. Even if we
have never formally studied logical
reasoning and fallacies, we can often
tell when a person’s statement doesn’t
sound right. Think about the claims we
see in many advertisements today –
Buy product X, and you will be
beautiful/thin/happy or have the
carefree life depicted in the
advertisement. With very little critical
thought, we know intuitively that
simply buying a product will not
magically change our lives. Even if we
can’t identify the specific fallacy at
work in the argument (non causa in this
case), we know there is some flaw in
the argument.
By studying logic and fallacies we
can learn to formulate stronger and
more cohesive arguments, avoiding
problems like that mentioned above.
The study of logic has a long history.
We can trace the roots of modern
logical study back to Aristotle in
ancient Greece. Aristotle’s simple
definition of logic as the means by
which we come to know anything still
provides a concise understanding of
logic (Aristotle, 1989). Of the classical
pillars of a core liberal arts education of
logic, grammar, and rhetoric, logic has
developed as a fairly independent
branch of philosophical studies. We
use logic everyday when we construct
statements, argue our point of view,
and in myriad other ways.
Understanding how logic is used will
help us communicate more efficiently
and effectively.
defining arguments
When we think and speak logically,
we pull together statements that
combine reasoning with evidence to
support an assertion, arguments. A
logical argument should not be
confused with the type of argument you
have with your sister or brother or any
other person. When you argue with
your sibling, you participate in a
conflict in which you disagree about
something. You may, however, use a
logical argument in the midst of the
As we will learn in the following
pages, we construct arguments based
on logic. Understanding the ways logic
can be used and possibly misused is a
vital skill. To help stress the
importance of it, the Foundation for
Critical Thinking has set forth universal
standards of reasoning. These
standards can be found in Table 6.3.
When the mind is thinking, it is
talking to itself.
~ Plato
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3. Therefore, Sydney should clean
the bathroom.
argument with your sibling. Consider
this example:
Brother and sister, Sydney and
Harrison are arguing about
whose turn it is to clean their
bathroom. Harrison tells Sydney
she should do it because she is a
girl and girls are better at
cleaning. Sydney responds that
being a girl has nothing to do
with whose turn it is. She
reminds Harrison that according
to their work chart, they are
responsible for cleaning the
bathroom on alternate weeks.
She tells him she cleaned the
bathroom last week; therefore, it
is his turn this week. Harrison,
still unconvinced, refuses to take
responsibility for the chore.
Sydney then points to the work
chart and shows him where it
specifically says it is his turn this
week. Defeated, Harrison digs
out the cleaning supplies.
Throughout their bathroom
argument, both Harrison and Sydney
use logical arguments to advance their
point. You may ask why Sydney is
successful and Harrison is not. This is
a good question. Let’s critically think
about each of their arguments to see
why one fails and one succeeds.
Let’s start with Harrison’s argument.
We can summarize it into three points:
1. Girls are better at cleaning
bathrooms than boys.
2. Sydney is a girl.
Harrison’s argument here is a form of
deductive reasoning, specifically a
syllogism. We will consider syllogisms
in a few minutes. For our purposes
here, let’s just focus on why Harrison’s
argument fails to persuade Sydney.
Assuming for the moment that we
agree with Harrison’s first two
premises, then it would seem that his
argument makes sense. We know that
Sydney is a girl, so the second premise
is true. This leaves the first premise
that girls are better at cleaning
bathrooms than boys. This is the exact
point where Harrison’s argument goes
astray. The only way his entire
argument will work is if we agree with
the assumption girls are better at
cleaning bathrooms than boys.
Let’s now look at Sydney’s argument
and why it works. Her argument can be
summarized as follows:
1. The bathroom responsibilities
alternate weekly according to the
work chart.
2. Sydney cleaned the bathroom last
week.
3. The chart indicates it is
Harrison’s turn to clean the
bathroom this week.
4. Therefore, Harrison should clean
the bathroom.
Sydney’s argument here is a form of
inductive reasoning. We will look at
inductive reasoning in depth below.
For now, let’s look at why Sydney’s
argument succeeds where Harrison’s
fails. Unlike Harrison’s argument,
which rests on assumption for its truth
claims, Sydney’s argument rests on
evidence. We can define evidence as
anything used to support the validity of
an assertion. Evidence includes:
testimony, scientific findings, statistics,
physical objects, and many others.
Sydney uses two primary pieces of
evidence: the work chart and her
statement that she cleaned the
bathroom last week. Because Harrison
has no contradictory evidence, he can’t
logically refute Sydney’s assertion and
is therefore stuck with scrubbing the
toilet.
defining deduction
Deductive reasoning refers to an
argument in which the truth of its
premises guarantees the truth of its
conclusions. Think back to Harrison’s
argument for Sydney cleaning the
bathroom. In order for his final claim
to be valid, we must accept the truth of
his claims that girls are better at
cleaning bathrooms than boys. The key
focus in deductive arguments is that it
must be impossible for the premises to
be true and the conclusion to be false.
The classic example is:
All men are mortal.
Socrates is a man.
Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
We can look at each of these
statements individually and see each is
true in its own right. It is virtually
impossible for the first two
propositions to be true and the
conclusion to be false. Any argument
which fails to meet this standard
commits a logical error or fallacy.
Even if we might accept the arguments
as good and the conclusion as possible,
the argument fails as a form of
deductive reasoning.
A few observations and much
reasoning lead to error; many
observations and a little reasoning
to truth.
~ Alexis Carrel
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or soundness.
Another significant difference
between deduction and induction is
inductive arguments do not have a
standard format. Let’s return to
Sydney’s argument to see how
induction develops in action:
1. Bathroom cleaning
responsibilities alternate weekly
according to the work chart.
2. Sydney cleaned the bathroom last
week.
3. The chart indicates it is
Harrison’s turn to clean the
bathroom this week.
4. Therefore, Harrison should clean
the bathroom.
What Sydney does here is build to
her conclusion that Harrison should
clean the bathroom. She begins by
stating the general house rule of
alternate weeks for cleaning. She then
adds in evidence before concluding her
argument. While her argument is
strong, we don’t know if it is true.
There could be other factors Sydney
has left out. Sydney may have agreed
to take Harrison’s week of bathroom
cleaning in exchange for him doing
another one of her chores. Or there
may be some extenuating
circumstances preventing Harrison
from bathroom cleaning this week.
You should carefully study the Art
of Reasoning, as it is what most
people are very deficient in, and I
know few things more
disagreeable than to argue, or
even converse with a man who has
no idea of inductive and deductive
philosophy.
~ William John Wills
Let’s return to the world stage for
another example. After the 9/11
attacks on the World Trade Center, we
heard variations of the following
arguments:
1. The terrorists were Muslim
(or Arab or Middle Eastern).
2. The terrorists hated
America.
3. Therefore, all Muslims (or
Arabs or Middle Easterners)
hate America.
Clearly, we can see the problem in
this line of reasoning. Beyond being a
scary example of hyperbolic rhetoric,
we can all probably think of at least one
counter example to disprove the
conclusion. However, individual
passions and biases caused many
otherwise rational people to say these
things in the weeks following the
attacks. This example also clearly
illustrates how easy it is to get tripped
up in your use of logic and the
importance of practicing selfregulation.
understanding fallacies
When we form arguments or examine
others’ arguments, we need to be
cognizant of possible fallacies. A
fallacy can be defined as a flaw or error
in reasoning. At its most basic, a
logical fallacy refers to a defect in the
reasoning of an argument that causes
the conclusion(s) to be invalid,
unsound, or weak. The existence of a
fallacy in a deductive argument makes
the entire argument invalid. The
existence of a fallacy in an inductive
argument weakens the argument but
does not invalidate it.
It is important to study fallacies so
you can avoid them in the arguments
you make. Studying fallacies also
provides you with a foundation for
evaluating and critiquing other
arguments as well. Once you start
studying and thinking about fallacies,
you’ll find they are everywhere. You
could say that we live in a fallacious
world!
The study of fallacies can be dated
back to the start of the study of logic.
In ancient Greece, Aristotle classified
fallacies into two categories – linguistic
and non-linguistic. Within these two
categories, he identified 13 individual
fallacies. Through time we have
reclassified fallacies using various
typologies and criteria. For our
purposes, we will focus on formal and
informal fallacies.
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formal fallacies
A formal fallacy exists because of an
error in the structure of the argument.
In other words, the conclusion doesn’t
follow from the premises. All formal
fallacies are specific types of non
sequiturs, or arguments in which the
conclusions do not follow from the
premises. Formal fallacies are
identified by critically examining the
structure of the argument exclusive of
the individual statements. As you read
through the following types of formal
fallacies and examples, this definition
will become more clear.
bad reasons fallacy
(argumentum ad logicam)
In this fallacy, the conclusion is
assumed to be bad because the
arguments are bad. In practice, a
premise of the argument is bad and
therefore the conclusion is bad or
invalid. This fallacy is seen often in
debate or argumentation. We
summarize the fallacy as: He gave bad
reasons for his argument; therefore, his
argument is bad. Consider the
following claim:
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require a certain look or the ability to
put together interesting outfits. (Just
look around your campus or workplace
and you’ll probably see how true this
is.) As such, the reasons for
concluding the new faculty member
should be fired are bad. We commit a
fallacy if the conclusion to fire him is
also bad or wrong. While the given
reasons don’t necessarily support the
conclusion, there may be others that
do.
Bad reasoning as well as good
reasoning is possible; and this
fact is the foundation of the
practical side of logic.
~ Charles Sanders
Peirce
masked man fallacy
(intensional fallacy)
The masked man fallacy involves a
substitution of parties. If the two things
we substitute are identical, then the
argument is valid:
Rosamond Smith wrote the book
Nemesis.
Rosamond Smith is an alias for
Joyce Carol Oates.
Joyce Carol Oates wrote the
book Nemesis.
This argument is valid because
Rosamond Smith is in fact an alias for
Joyce Carol Oates, so there is no flaw
in the structure of the argument.
Consider the following example:
Chris told police that a redhaired woman stole her car.
Ginny is a red-haired woman.
Therefore, Chris told police that
Ginny stole her car.
The new employee is too quiet
and has no sense of style. We
should fire him.
The problem here should be obvious.
To be a good employee does not
conclusion is necessarily true. Even if
Ginny did steal Chris’s car, this fact
doesn’t make the conclusion true. The
existence of this fact cannot be
presumed to change what Chris told the
police.
The fallacy in this example occurs
between the second premise and the
conclusion. Looking at each premise
individually, we can see that each is
true. However, simply because each
premise is true doesn’t mean the
fallacy of quantitative logic
Fallacies of quantitative logic revolve
around the grammatical structure of the
proposition. The focus is on the use of
some sort of quantifying word such as
“all” or “some.” Consider this
example:
All philosophers are wise.
We can show the flaw in this
statement by simply finding a counterexample. And since the fact of being
wise is abstract, how do we truly know
if one is wise or not? Consider how the
statement changes with the use of a
different quantifier:
Some philosophers are wise.
This statement is stronger because it
allows for the possibility there are
counter-examples. However, the error
arises from the fact that it is not a
known quantity. We must infer from
the statement that some philosophers
are not wise.
Let’s look at another example:
All conservatives are
Republicans.
Therefore, all Republicans are
conservatives.
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Without thinking too hard you can
probably think of one counter-example.
Let’s try one more:
Jane: Well, you’re a big jerk
and don’t know anything, so we
don’t have to go back to class.
Some doctors are not MDs.
Therefore, some MDs are not
doctors.
While the first premise is true (there
are other types of doctors), the second
is clearly not true.
informal fallacies
An informal fallacy occurs because
of an error in reasoning. Unlike formal
fallacies which are identified through
examining the structure of the
argument, informal fallacies are
identified through analysis of the
content of the premises. In this group
of fallacies, the premises fail to provide
adequate reasons for believing the truth
of the conclusion. There are numerous
different types of informal fallacies. In
the following, we consider some of the
more common types.
accident
(sweeping generalization)
A fallacy by accident occurs when a
generally true statement is applied to a
specific case that is somehow unusual
or exceptional. The fallacy looks like
this:
Xs are normally Ys. Z is an (abnormal) X. Therefore, Z is an Y.
Let’s look at a specific example to
see how this fallacy can easily occur:
Dogs are good pets.
Coyotes are dogs.
Therefore, coyotes are good pets.
The fallacy here should be clear. I
love dogs and coyotes, but I don’t
know that I would want a coyote for a
pet. The fallacy in this case could be
easily fixed with the use of a simple
qualifier such as the word “some.” If
we changed the first premise to read
“Some dogs make good pets,” then we
can see how even if the second premise
is true it doesn’t automatically lead to
the stated conclusion. The basic
problem here is that a sometimes true
statement is assumed to be universally
true.
I do personal attacks only on
people who specialize in personal
attacks.
~ Al Franken
genetic fallacy
(ad hominem)
The ad hominem fallacy occurs when
we shift our focus from the premises
and conclusions of the argument and
focus instead on the individual making
the argument. An easy way to
remember this fallacy is to think of it as
the personal attack fallacy. It is the
weak form of arguing that many of us
employed on our elementary school
playgrounds such as this exchange:
Bill: I think we should go back
to class now.
Jane: I don’t think we need to
worry about it.
Bill: Well, the bell rang a few
minutes ago. We’re going to be
late.
If we examine this exchange we can
see that Bill’s arguments are sound and
supported by what appears to be good
evidence. However, Jane ignores these
and focuses on Bill’s supposed
character – he’s a big jerk. The fallacy
happens when we connect the truth of a
proposition to the person asserting it.
Let’s consider a more serious
example that we see in many political
campaigns. We can map out the fallacy
as follows:
My opponent has trait X.
Therefore, she is not qualified to
do the job.
The focus here is on the individual’s
trait, even when the trait in question has
nothing to do with the job. We saw this
fallacy in play in the early days of the
2012 U.S. presidential campaign:
We will never get out of debt if
we allow a Democrat to remain
as president.
The focus here has nothing to do with
any individual candidate’s skills,
experience, or abilities. The focus is
solely on their political affiliation.
There is no greater impediment to
the advancement of knowledge
than the ambiguity of words.
~ Thomas Reid
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ambiguity
(equivocation)
Fallacies caused by ambiguity occur,
not surprisingly, when some ambiguous
term is used in the argument. An
ambiguous term is one that has more
than one meaning. The structure of the
argument may be clear, and there may
be solid evidence supporting the
propositions. The problem arises from
having nothing solid on which to base
our conclusion. We saw this fallacy in
play during the Clinton/Lewinsky
investigations. If you recall, when
questioned about his relationship with
Monica Lewinsky, President Clinton
responded that he never had “sexual
relations” with that woman. The
phrase “sexual relations” can include a
whole range of sexual behaviors.
Let’s look at a more recent example:
We won’t be safe until we win
the war on terrorism.
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fallacies of appeal
This type of fallacy is actually a
group of fallacies. At its most basic,
the truth of the argument rests on
reference to some outside source or
force. We will consider four of the
most popular appeal fallacies – appeals
to authority, emotion, ignorance, and
pity.
appeal to authority
(ad vericundiam)
When we appeal to authority we
claim the truth of a proposition is
guaranteed because of the opinion of a
famous person. Appeals to authority
look like this:
Authority figure X says Y.
Therefore, Y is true.
We see this fallacy in play regularly
in commercials or other advertisements
featuring a doctor, lawyer, or other
professional. Think about, for example,
ads for the latest weight loss
supplement. A doctor will discuss the
science of the supplement. At times
she will mention that she used the
supplement and successfully lost
weight. Even though we do learn
something about the specifics of the
supplement, the focus is on the doctor
and her implied authoritative
knowledge. We are to infer that the
supplement will work because the
doctor says it will work.
Can you spot the ambiguity?
Actually there are two: safe and
terrorism. What is safe to one person is
much less so to another. Likewise,
behaviors that appear terrorist-like to
one person are simply impassioned acts
to another.
An appeal to the reason of the
people has never been known to
fail in the long run.
~ James Russell Lowell
The fallacy in this type of reasoning
occurs when we confuse the truth of the
proposition with the person stating it.
Instead of considering the strength of
the argument and any evidence
associated with it, we focus solely on
the individual.
It can be easy to fall into the trap of
this fallacy. For many of your
speeches, you will be asked to research
the issue at hand and present supporting
evidence. This is a prime place for the
fallacy to occur. While it is important
to support your arguments with outside
research, it is also important to
critically evaluate all aspects of the
information. Remember the example
of Shonda’s speech that opened this
chapter? Her blind reliance on the
research of Dr. Gray is an example of
the appeal to authority fallacy.
Anyone who conducts an
argument by appealing to
authority is not using his
intelligence; he is just using his
memory.
~ Leonardo da Vinci
appeal to emotion
This fallacy occurs with the use of
highly emotive or charged language.
The force of the fallacy lies in its
ability to motivate the audience to
accept the truth of the proposition
based solely on their visceral response
to the words used. In a sense, the
audience is manipulated or forced into
accepting the truth of the stated
conclusions. Consider the following
example:
Any campus member who thinks
clearly should agree that Dr.
Lenick is a flaming, radical,
feminist, liberal. Dr. Lenick has
made it clear she believes that
equal rights should be granted to
everyone without regard to the
traditions and history of this
campus or this country.
Therefore, Dr. Lenick is a bad
teacher and should be fired
immediately.
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definitively that ghosts don’t
exist. Therefore, ghosts are real.
Though rather simplistic, this
example makes clear the thrust of this
fallacy. The focus is not on supporting
evidence, but on a blatant lack of
evidence. While ghosts may exist, we
don’t know for sure they do – or don’t
for that matter. As such, we could also
argue that because we can’t prove that
ghosts are real they must not exist.
The thrust of this argument revolves
around two interrelated components –
Dr. Lenick’s advocacy of equal rights
for all and her alleged disregard for
tradition and history. The emotional
appeal rests in the phrase “flaming,
radical, feminist, liberal” – words that
indicate ideological beliefs, usually
beliefs that are strongly held by both
sides. Additionally, hot button words
like these tend to evoke a visceral
response rather than a logical, reasoned
response.
The highest form of ignorance is
when you reject something you
don’t know anything about.
~ Wayne Dyer
appeal to Ignorance
(argumentum ad
ignorantiam)
When we appeal to ignorance, we
argue that the proposition must be
accepted unless someone can prove
otherwise. The argument rests not on
any evidence but on a lack of evidence.
We are to believe the truth of the
argument because no one has disproven
it. Let’s look at an example to see how
appeals to ignorance can develop:
People have been seeing ghosts
for hundreds of years. No one
has been able to prove
semester. If I don’t play, the
team will lose. Will you please
make sure that you give me at
least a C for my final grade?
The student here acknowledges he
does not deserve a grade of C or higher.
He has missed assignments, failed the
midterm, and accrued a number of
absences. His argument asks the
professor to ignore these facts, though,
and focus on the fact that without him
the team would lose. In other words,
he hopes the professor will feel sorry
for him and ignore the evidence.
appeal to pity
(argumentium ad
misericordium)
Appeals to pity are another form of
pulling on the emotions of the
audience. In the appeal to pity, the
argument attempts to win acceptance
by pointing out the unfortunate
consequences that will fall upon the
speaker. In effect, the goal is to make
us feel sorry for the speaker and ignore
contradictory evidence. This form of
fallacy is used often by students.
Consider this message a professor
recently received at the end of the
semester:
I know I have not done all the
work for the semester and have
been absent a lot. However, I
am the key point guard for the
basketball team. If I get any
grade lower than a C, I will not
be able to play basketball next
begging the question
(petitio principii)
A begging the question fallacy is a
form of circular reasoning that occurs
when the conclusion of the argument is
used as one of the premises of the
argument. Arguments composed in this
way will only be considered sound or
strong by those who already accept
their conclusion.
Dilbert: And we know mass
creates gravity because more
dense planets have more gravity.
Dogbert: How do we know which
planets are more dense?
Dilbert: They have more gravity.
To see how begging the question
develops as a fallacy, let’s turn to
standard arguments in the abortion
debate. One of the common arguments
made by those who oppose legalized
abortion is the following:
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Murder is morally wrong.
Abortion is murder.
Therefore, abortion is morally
wrong.
Most people would agree with the
first premise that murder is morally
wrong. The problem, then rests in the
second premise. Not all individuals
would agree that abortion is murder.
However, as presented, the premise
creates a presumption it is valid in all
cases.
Those who advocate for legalized
abortion are not immune from this
fallacy. One of their standard
arguments is:
The Constitution guarantees
Americans the right to control
their bodies.
Abortion is a choice affecting
women’s bodies.
Therefore, abortion is a
constitutional right.
Like the previous example, the
second premise generates a potential
stopping point. While the choice to
have or not have an abortion does
clearly impact a woman’s body, many
individuals would argue this impact is
not a deciding issue.
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two possible alternatives, when in fact
more than two exist.
Returning to the abortion debates, we
can see a form of this fallacy in play by
simply looking at the way each side
refers to itself. Those who oppose
legalized abortion are Pro-Life. The
implication here is that if you are for
abortion then you are against life. The
fallacy in this case is easy to figure out
– there are many facets of life, not just
abortion. Those who favor legalized
abortion are Pro-Choice. The
implication here is that if you are
against abortion, then you are against
choices. Again, the reasoning is faulty.
There is no black-and-white
situation. It’s all part of life.
Highs, lows, middles.
~ Van Morrison
Let’s look at another hot button topic
to see how this fallacy develops in
action. In recent years many family
advocacy groups have argued that,
what they call, the “liberal media” has
caused the rapid moral decline of
America. They usually ask questions
like: Do you support families or moral
depravity? This question ignores the
whole range of choices between the
two extremes.
composition
This fallacy occurs when we assume
that if all the parts have a given quality,
then the whole of the parts will have it
as well. We jump to a conclusion
without concrete evidence. We see this
fallacy at work in the following
example:
black-or-white Fallacy
(bifurcation)
This fallacy is also known as an
Either/or fallacy or False Dichotomy.
The thrust of the fallacy occurs when
we are only given the choice between
All of the basketball team’s
players are fast runners, high
jumpers, and winners.
Therefore, the team is a winner.
The problem here is the individuals
must work together to make the team a
winner. This might very well happen,
but it might not.
To make this fallacy more clear, let’s
look at a humorous, though not so
appetizing example:
I like smoothies for breakfast
because I can drink them on the
run. My favorite breakfast foods
are scrambled eggs, fresh fruit,
bagels with cream cheese, soy
sausage links, cottage cheese,
oatmeal, cold pizza, and triple
espressos. Therefore, I would
like a breakfast smoothie made
of scrambled eggs, fresh fruit,
bagels with cream cheese, soy
sausage links, cottage cheese,
oatmeal, cold pizza, and triple
espressos.
If you’re not feeling too nauseated to
keep reading, you should be able to see
the composition fallacy here. While
each of these breakfast items may be
appetizing individually, they become
much less so when dropped into a
blender and pureed together.
division
The opposite of the composition
fallacy, a division fallacy occurs when
we think the parts of the whole contain
the same quality as the whole. Let’s
turn to another food-based example to
see how this fallacy occurs:
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Blueberry muffins taste good.
Therefore, the individual
ingredients comprising blueberry
muffins also taste good.
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Accidental or coincidental
connection occurs when we assume a
connection where one might or might
not exist. We say event C caused event
E when we have no clear proof. Here’s
an example:
Yesterday Jen went out in the
rain and got soaked. The next
day she was in bed with the flu.
Therefore, the rain caused her to
get sick.
On the surface, this argument may
not appear to be problematic.
However, think about the individual
ingredients: blueberries, raw eggs,
flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, oil, and
vanilla. Of these, blueberries are the
only items that generally taste good on
their own. I don’t know about you, but
sitting down to a bowl of baking soda
doesn’t sound too appetizing.
Here’s one more example to make
the fallacy clearer:
Women in general make less
money than men. Therefore,
Brenda Barnes, CEO of the Sara
Lee company, makes less money
than the male delivery drivers
who work for the company.
Most of us probably grew up hearing
statements like this without ever
realizing we were being exposed to a
logical fallacy in action. Flu is caused
by exposure to a virus, not to bad
weather.
The other type of causal fallacy
occurs with a general causation
between types of events. For example,
we know that drinking excessive
amounts of alcohol leads to alcoholism
and cirrhosis of the liver. However, not
every individual who drinks
excessively develops either of these
diseases. In other words, there is a
possibility the disease will occur as a
result of excessive drinking, but it is
not an absolute.
Each year thousands of people
die in car accident across the
country. Why should we worry
about endangered animals?
This argument is trying to get us to
focus on dead people instead of
animals. While car accidents and the
deaths resulting from them are a serious
issue, this fact does not lessen the
importance of worrying about
endangered animals. The two issues
are not equated with each other.
Common sense will tell you the CEO
of a company makes more money than
the hourly delivery drivers.
Additionally, a few quick minutes of
research will confirm this inference.
false cause
(non causa, pro causa)
Sometimes called a Questionable
Cause fallacy, this occurs when there
exists a flawed causal connection
between events. The fallacy is not just
a bad inference about connection
between cause and effect, but one that
violates the cannons of reasoning about
causation. We see two primary types
of this fallacy:
practice of dragging a dried smoke
herring across the trail so as to throw
off the hound from the scent. In logical
reasoning, the red herring fallacy works
in much the same way. No, this
doesn’t mean you make the argument
while smelling like an old fish. What it
does mean is that we attempt to distract
the audience by introducing some
irrelevant point, such as this:
red herring
(Irrelevant thesis)
This fallacy occurs when we
introduce an irrelevant issue into the
argument. The phrase “red herring”
comes from the supposed fox hunting
Political campaigns are a fertile
ground for growing red herring
fallacies. If you think back to the 2004
Presidential campaign you will find a
number of red herrings. For example,
at one point we were inundated with
ads reminding us that John Kerry’s
wife was heir to the Heinz ketchup
fortune. The implication was that by
extension John Kerry was a rich elitist
incapable of understanding the plight of
working class and middle class
individuals.
slippery slope
This fallacy occurs when we assume
one action will initiate a chain of events
culminating in an undesirable event
later. It makes it seem like the final
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event, the bottom of the slope, is an
inevitability. Arguments falling prey to
the slippery slope fallacy ignore the
fact there are probably a number of
other things that can happen between
the initial event and the bottom of the
slope.
We hear examples of the slippery
slope fallacy all around us:
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follows Islam and identifies as Muslim
they clearly can’t be American or
interested in America. While there are
many potential flaws in this argument
as presented, for our purpose the most
obvious is that there are many
Americans who are Muslim and who
are quite interested and concerned
about America.
If we teach sex education in
school, then students will have
more sex. If students have more
sex, we will have a rash of
unplanned pregnancies and
sexually transmitted diseases.
Students will be forced to drop
out of school and will never have
the chance to succeed in life.
Clearly, just learning about sex
doesn’t automatically mean that you
will engage in sex. Even more unlikely
is the fact that merely learning about
sex will force you to drop out of
school.
false analogy
When we use analogies in our
reasoning, we are comparing things. A
fallacy of weak analogy occurs when
there exists a poor connection between
examples. Structurally, the fallacy
looks like this:
strawman
This fallacy occurs when the actual
argument appears to be refuted, but in
reality a related point is addressed. The
individual using a strawman argument
will appear to be refuting the original
point made but will actually be arguing
a point not made in the original. The
best strawman arguments will argue the
new point to a conclusion that appears
solid; however, because their point is
not the original point, it is still a
fallacy.
A and B are similar.
A has characteristic X.
Therefore, B has characteristic
X.
Examples of the strawman fallacy are
everywhere and can appear to be quite
persuasive:
President Obama cannot truly
have American interests in mind
because he’s not truly American
but Muslim.
Statements similar to this were quite
prevalent during the 2008 Presidential
election and still appear on occasion.
The assumption here is that if a person
This fallacy often occurs when we try
to compare two things that on the
surface appear similar. For example:
Humans and animals are both
living, breathing beings.
Humans have civil rights.
Therefore, animals have civil
rights.
The problem in this argument is that
while humans and animals are alike in
their living and breathing status, there
are numerous other ways they differ.
We commit a fallacy when we infer
that based on this initial similarity, they
are similar in all other ways as well.
The other day while looking at
houses, I heard another version of this
argument from a real estate agent. The
house I was looking at was an older
house needing some TLC. I asked how
old the roof was and the real estate
agent responded:
I don’t know for sure, but it’s
either 10 or 20 years old. You
know, though, I put a roof on a
house similar to this when I was
younger and we haven’t had to
worry about it. It’s been over 20
years now.
Ignoring for the moment that there’s
a big difference between a 10-year-old
roof and a 20-year-old roof, the real
estate agent mistakenly assumes that
his roof and the roof of the TLC house
are the same. They both provide a
covering for the home, but that’s about
where their similarities end.
conclusion
In this chapter we have examined
what critical thinking is and how it
involves more than simply being
critical. Understanding critical
thinking helps in formulating and
studying arguments. We see arguments
every day in advertising, use arguments
to persuade others, and we use them to
benefit us. The overview of fallacies
showed not all arguments are valid or
even logical. Always critically think
and examine any argument you
confront, and remember that if it
sounds too good to be true, it probably
is a fallacious argument.
We practice critical thinking on a
daily basis, often without any extra
effort. Now that you know a bit more
about how to do these things better, you
should find that you can put together
more persuasive arguments that avoid
the pitfalls of fallacious thinking. More
importantly, when you hear a statement
such as, “You should drink at least four
glasses of wine per day,” you’ll know
that something isn’t right. And if you
do hear a statement like this, you will
be prepared to think critically about the
statement, and will be in a position to
make a more educated decision about
the information.
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chapter review questions and activities
review questions
1. Explain the difference between critical thinking and being critical. Why should we care?
2. Explain how listening differs from hearing and why listening is the first component of practicing critical
thinking.
3. List and discuss at least three ways that we use logic and argumentation in our daily lives.
4. If I say, “There is plenty of pasta, so you should have some more,” am I implying or inferring that you have
not eaten enough?
5. What are a fallacies and why is it important that we study them?
6. Television commercials that use pictures of starving children and sad music as a way to get you to donate
money are an example of what type of fallacy?
7. Name, define, and give examples of three different fallacies you have heard recently.
activities
1. Throughout this chapter, we have turned to the abortion debates for examples. In order to practice critical
thinking in action, spend some time researching the major arguments each side uses. Because the debates in this
area are so complex, you might want to narrow your focus just a bit. For example, you could focus on the issue
of minors consenting to abortion or abortion in the case of rape or other sexual assault. Compile a list of the
most common arguments used by each side. Your list should include: any evidence used to support claims, a
list of the major claims, any conclusions. Return to the core critical thinking skills and critically evaluate how
each side forms arguments and uses evidence. How do your own biases and thoughts on the issue of abortion
influence your evaluation? If you were an advisor, what advisee would you give to each side to make their
arguments stronger and more logically sound?
2. Your local newspaper’s Letters to the Editor section is a prime spot to find logical fallacies in action. For
several days, read the Letters to the Editor and identify all of the fallacies you find. Keep a log of the specific
fallacies you find, dividing them by type. Once you have compiled a variety of example, take a step back and
evaluate them. Questions that you might want to ask include: what fallacy or fallacies seem to be most
popular? Why do you think this is? Pick a few of the most egregious fallacies and rewrite them correcting for
the flaw in reasoning.
3. Throughout this chapter, we have studied arguments by looking at their various parts. In practice, arguments
occur as part of larger statements or speeches making their analysis a bit more complicated. To understand the
ways arguments occur in daily life, visit the American Rhetoric page (www.americanrhetoric.com). On this
page you will find a number of political, activist, movie, and other speeches. Pick one and try to identify the
major arguments that are set forth. What are the main claims? What are the sub-claims? What sorts of
evidence or support are provided? Are there any fallacies present in the argument? If you were a speech writer,
what advice would you give to improve the argument?
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glossary
Accident Fallacy
A fallacy that occurs when a
generally true statement is
applied to a specific case that
is unusual.
Ambiguity Fallacy
A fallacy that occurs when a
word having more than one
meaning appears in the
argument.
Analysis
The process of asking what is
happening in a message
through breaking it into its
individual components and
asking questions of each
section.
Appeal to Authority
A fallacy that occurs when the
truth of a proposition is
thought to rest in the opinion
of a famous other or authority.
Appeal to Ignorance
A fallacy that occurs when we
argue something must be
accepted because it cannot be
proven otherwise.
Appeal to Pity
A fallacy that occurs when an
argument attempts to win
acceptance by focusing on the
unfortunate consequences that
will occur if it is not accepted.
Argument
Statements that combine
reasoning with evidence to
support an assertion.
Bad Reasons Fallacy:
A fallacy that occurs when
then we assume the conclusion
of an argument to be bad
because a part of the argument
is bad.
Begging the Question:
A fallacy that occurs when the
conclusion of the argument is
also used as one of the
premises.
Black and White Fallacy
A fallacy that occurs when the
audience is only given two
choices.
Composition Fallacy
A fallacy that occurs when we
assume that traits inherent in
the parts are also present when
the parts are combined into a
whole.
Critical Thinking
Active thinking in which we
evaluate and analyze
information in order to
determine the best course of
action.
Deduction
An argument in which the
truth of the premises of the
argument guarantee the truth
of its conclusion.
Division
A fallacy that occurs when we
assume that the trait of a whole
occurs when the whole is
divided into its parts.
Evaluation
The process of assessing the
various claims and premises of
an argument to determine their
validity.
Evidence
Research, claims, or anything
else that is used to support the
validity of an assertion.
Fallacy of Quantitative Logic:
A fallacy that occurs when we
misuse quantifying words such
as “all” or “some.”
False Analogy
A fallacy that occurs when
there exists a poor connection
between two examples used in
an argument.
False Cause:
A fallacy that occurs when
there exists a flawed
connection between two
events.
Genetic Fallacy:
A fallacy that occurs when the
individual is attacked.
Hearing:
The physiological process of
receiving noise and sounds.
Imply:
To suggest or convey an idea.
Induction:
An argument in which the
truth of its propositions lend
support to the conclusion.
Infer:
To draw a conclusion that rests
outside the message.
Interpretation:
Explaining and extrapolating
the conclusions that we draw
from a statement.
Listening:
The psychological process of
attaching meaning to the
sounds and noises we hear.
Fallacy:
A flaw or error in reasoning.
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Chapter 6 critical thinking & reasoning
www.publicspeakingproject.org
Masked Man Fallacy:
A fallacy that occurs when we
substitute parties that are not
identical within an argument.
Red Herring Fallacy
A fallacy that occurs when an
irrelevant issue is introduced
into the argument.
Non sequitor
An argument where the
conclusion may be true or
false, but in which there exists
a disconnect within the
argument itself.
Self-regulation
The process of reflecting on
our pre-existing thoughts and
biases and how they may
influence what we think about
an assertion.
Premise
A proposition (statement)
supporting or helping to
support a conclusion; an
assumption that something is
true
Slippery Slope Fallacy
A fallacy that occurs when we
assume one action will initiate
a chain of events that
culminate in an undesirable
event.
Strawman Fallacy
A fallacy that occurs when the
actual argument appears to be
refuted, but in reality a related
point is addressed.
Syllogism
A form of deductive argument
in which the conclusion is
inferred from the premises.
Most syllogisms contain a
major premise, a minor
premise, and a conclusion.
references
Aristotle. (1989). Prior Analytics (Trans. Robin
Smith). Cambridge, MA: Hackett Publishing.
Beyer, B. K. (1995) Critical thinking. Bloomington,
IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.
Dewey, J. (1933). Experience and education. New
York: Macmillan, 1933.
Elder, L. & Richard, P. (1996). Universal Intellectual
Standards. Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for
Critical Thinking. Retrieved from:
http://www.criticalthinking.org/page.cfm?Pag
eID=527&CategoryID=68
Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical Thinking: A
Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes
of Educational Assessment and Instruction,
The Delphi Report (Executive Summary).
Millbrae, CA: California Academic Press.
photo credits
p. 1
Gears in head
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Filos_segundo_logo.JPG By Filosofias
Filosoficas
p. 2
John Dewey
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co
mmons/9/91/John_Dewey_in_1902.jpg
By Postdlf
p. 3
Martha Stewart
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Martha_Stewart_nrkbeta.jpg By
Alĥemiisto
p. 5
Seat belt
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Seat_belt_BX.jpg By Michiel 1972
p. 6
Sharia Law Billboard
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Sharia-law-Billboard.jpg By Matt57
p. 7
Toilet
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Decorative_toilet_seat.jpg By Bartux
p. 9
World Trade Center
Bombing 1993
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
WTC_1993_ATF_Commons.jpg By
Smurfy
p. 12
U.S. Soldiers
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
US_Navy_060920-N-4097B026_Soldiers_from_the_U.S._Army%5E
rsquo,s_Apache_Troop,_2nd_Squadron,_
9th_Cavalry_Regiment_exit_a_home_in_
Muqdadiyah,_Iraq,_after_searching_it.jp
g By The United States Navy
p. 13
Julianne Moore
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Julianne_Moore_March_for_Women%27
s_Lives_2004.jpg By Pattymooney
p. 14
Ghost
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Radiovector_-_ghost.jpg By Musilupa
p. 14
Star Trek “Let that be your last
battlefield.” Posted on YouTube by
gregorija1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi7Q
Q5pO7_A
p. 15
Blueberry muffin
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Muffin_NIH.jpg By 17 Drew
6-19