Opinion: A belief or point of view that is formed without consulting available evidence (for example, formed on the basis of instinct or emotion)
In contrast, a good argument includes:
A position on a particular topic
Reasons to support that position
Evidence that supports those reasons
A consideration of other possible answers
A logical, organized structure
Turning an Opinion into an Argument
"You can turn your opinions into arguments by researching the subject in question. Look for evidence to support a particular point of view - but also look at any evidence that contradicts your own opinions.
Being aware of counter-arguments will help you to clarify and sharpen your own ideas. You may also decide to change or adapt your opinions in the light of new evidence." (Univ of Bradford)
Why This is So Difficult: The Confirmation Bias
Definition: A tendency of people to favor information that confirms their beliefs or hypotheses. People display this bias when they gather or remember information selectively, or when they interpret it in a biased way.
The effect is stronger for emotionally charged issues and for deeply entrenched beliefs. For example, in reading about gun control, people usually prefer sources that affirm their existing attitudes. (from Wikipedia)
"Researchers are sometimes guilty of confirmation bias by setting up experiments or framing their data in ways that will tend to confirm their hypotheses." (from Skeptic's Dictionary)
When Arguments Go Bad: Types of Logical Fallacies
Ad Hominem
Attacking your opponent's character or personal traits instead of engaging with his or her argument.
Appeals to Emotion
Manipulating an emotional response in place of a valid or compelling argument.
Anecdotal
Using personal experience or an isolated example instead of a valid argument, especially to dismiss statistics.
Black-or-white
Where two alternative states are presented as the only possibilities, when in fact more possibilities exist.
Appeal to Authority
Using the opinion or position of an authority figure, or institution of authority, in place of an actual argument.
False Cause
Presuming that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other.
Strawman
Misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack.
The two examples of fallacies I want to cover that I run into most is Anecdotal and the Emotional Appeal fallacies. Typically I believe these are the most used fallacies (that are commonly put together) when relating to very controversial topics.As of today, abortion (and gay rights) are the most common controversial issues I've noticed. An example of how one might defend abortion typically includes both anecdotal and emotional. The most well known one is the "rape" cause. This situation/response easily can be both, thus because the extreme affect of a case such as rap, it makes this situation very controversial.
ReplyDeleteI want to talk about two different logical fallacies that I see quite often which include slippery slope and appeal to emotion. The slippery slope fallacy is that one event subsequently causes another. Here is an example: "If we do not have strict gun control then the death rates in the United States will increase significantly." Assuming that gun control will affect how many people die in the United States is a fallacy.
ReplyDeleteThe fallacy I probably see the most is appeal to emotion. Appeal to emotion is when the author tries to replace facts with an emotional story. Here is an example: "Andrew complained about not having a pillow to sleep on, but his parents reminded him about the poor children in third world countries who do not even have a house." This is not factual information, instead the author is trying to strike your emotions to persuade you a certain way.
we see alot of falacies in newspaper articles about political action and heated debates over canidates. Many times have articles in papers quoted miscommunicated information to the mass media. This could be the result of a strawman effect of a fallacy as well as "appealing to emotions".
ReplyDeleteThese two fallacies alone contribute to a lack of information and can be used to misrepresent information. People try to be informative in their arguments and end up misleading people with the facts that they have no clue of the information of the topic at hand. It is sad when personal bias actually interrupts the flow of leading information and taints it with negative aspects that may have never even happened.
One example of a logical fallacy would be: if the unemployment rate increased, and the analysts claiming it is the end of the world because of it. This would be an appeal to emotion. Another example would be arguing someone about the merits of organic food and you call that person an extremist. This would be an ad hominem attack.
ReplyDeleteYesterday night, during a conversation between my mother and sister I overheard a fallacy of false cause. My sister argued that her room is messy because she got "messy genes" from our mom. However, my room is clean and since we are related, therefore sharing the same genetics, her argument falls victim to the false cause fallacy. In the same conversation, my sister asked why she should listen to my mom and clean her room, even though my mother's room is messy too. My sister's argument is still illogical because it is an Ad Hominem fallacy, since my mom's characteristics have nothing to do with the overall point.
ReplyDeleteOne example of a logical fallacy is appeal to emotion,which is getting someone to have an emotional response for what you are saying instead of disagreeing. For example, the commericials on television of animals needing to be adopted for proper shelter. They always include a celebrity and graphic images of animals such as dogs, cats, etc. that have been badly beaten and in bad homes. They use these types of commercials to make viewers feel an emotion to call adopt one of these animals. Another logical fallacy is ad hominem, which is ridiculing an opponent instead of debating about a topic. For example the 2012 Presidential debate. Instead of talking about political issues, Mitt Romney constantly made personal attacks on Presdint Obama, which had nothing to do with the debate.
ReplyDeleteI had an example of false cause fallacy this morning. I woke up and my sister said it was sunny outside. She added, it must be warm then. I walked outside, and it was cold. Just because its sunny outside, does't mean its warm.
ReplyDeleteAn example of ad hominem fallacy is like a preacher saying he doesn't believe in abortion. Another person says of course you don't because you are a preacher. The preacher says no its a personal opinion.
There are two different rhetorical devices that I feel like are common in today's society. The first one is Ad Hominem which is where you attack the opponent's character or personality rather than their argument. Ad Hominem is seen frequently in politics while campaigning. For example, when something that happened in their college days is brought up 20 years later, this has nothing to do with their argument what soever. Another rhetorical device used commonly is Appeal to Nature, this makes an argument that because something is "natural" it is valid or justified. A good example of this is advertisements for tobacco substances and sometimes people's argument for using substances such as marajauna.
ReplyDeleteSome people (such as many Catholics) don't agree with the use of birth control. They believe that since conception and birth is 'natural' that we shouldn't control it. This is using 'appeals to nature' to justify getting pregnant. Just because getting pregnant is 'natural' doesn't mean it's okay for everyone to run around having babies; many people aren't ready, which is why they choose to use a form of birth control.
ReplyDeleteDuring the presidential election in November, I heard many logical fallacies. For example, I heard a lot of people saying that if Obama wins America is going to become a socialist country. This is an example of slippery slope, because they were saying if A) Obama wins the election then B) America will automatically become socialist. This obviously wasn't the case.
I believe the two most common logical fallacies in this day and age are an appeal to motion as well Ad Hominen tactics. An appeal to emotion is most commonly seen on commercials where the overall goal is to raise money for a certain cause. The number one commercial that pops into my head is the one where aspca asks for a donation.
ReplyDeleteAd Hominen is most commonly seen in politics because each candidate attacks the other by using any sort of information that they can get a hold of in hopes to sway the voters.
Two types of fallacies that I have encountered with my life have been False Cause and Ad Hominem. I tend to use Ad Hominem a lot but most of the times in a joking way. To me False Cause is like when you assume one thing but it’s really not and Ad Hominem is like when you turn an argument against the person instead or the argument they are making. I feel like False Cause happens a lot with text messaging. I tend to always assume something like someone is angry or yelling in a text but that’s not always the case. Now-a-days people are so thrown off about the way a text message is perceived. Most of the time I use Ad Hominem in a joking way. For example, if I am wrong about something and I know I am I try to turn the argument against them and just laugh able it. But my dad does it on purpose to me. If he knows he’s wrong he will try to turn it on me and point out the things I’m doing wrong to make himself look good/right.
ReplyDeleteI feel that in this day in age the two most logical fallacies i see are Ad Hominem and appeal to Emotion. When i think of Ad Hominnem i think of petty individuals who try to point out the flaws of their opponents. which usually consists of "low blows." Although this can be seen in a bad day many teenagers use this in everyday life to pick on their friends in a joking matter. When it comes to appeal of emotion I think of commercials that try to connect to people that took a "bad drug" and are now suffering.
ReplyDelete