A List Of Fallacious Arguments (your CT toolkit)

Howdy folks ...

Here's a little link that we could all use periodically:

A List Of Fallacious Arguments

It includes some great further links at the bottom of the page.

Also: www.philosophicalsociety.com...

This next one is especially apt imho to conspiracy related discourse:

philosophy.lander.edu...

And that's what I have to say about all that.

reply to post by schrodingers dog


Am I the only one who thinks the word Fallacious could get you in trouble if not used properly... But I digress, what would ATS be without constant falacy... Oh yeah.. better!

-E-

Imteresting stuff! I have a lot to learn

s+f

Reply to post by schrodingers dog

Problem being I have personally seen ad infinitium ad nauseum of fallacius arguments from ALL sides of any given debate on ALL SUBJECTS. Not just on the part of the CTers if that is what you're trying to say. Which is a fallacius argument in and of it's self, generalization. IF this was aimed exclusively at CTers.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by Watcher-In-The-Shadows


Interesting ... I was actually referring to Critical Thinking.

Actually it isn't aimed at Conspiracy Theorists, I just meant it as a helpful analytical and deconstructionist tool for all discourse.

Though it merits noting that we conspiracy theorists tend to be more prone to "post hoc ergo propter hoc" to construct an argument than most.

Btw, I'm in no way excluding myself from culpability in this regard, this web tool was actually discovered in the process of self doubt/analysis, and I thought it useful enough to share.

Reply to post by schrodingers dog

Thus the disclaimers. I am glad my suspition was incorrect though. Cheers and agreement, we could all use a lesson in critical thinking.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Reply to post by Watcher-In-The-Shadows

From time to time.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by schrodingers dog


Nice, the art of disinfo is very nice to know.

Great links!

reply to post by schrodingers dog


It'd be kind of impossible to do any debating on the internet without these "fallacious" arguments because the internet is not filled with experts on the subjects in question. Only a few people on ATS are truly knowledgeable on anything and an even smaller fraction of those few are "experts".

All the online research in the world doesn't make someone an expert, no matter how badly we want to think our time spent on wikipedia or ATS is equivalent to a PHD in the subject in question

HI everybody.

In fact , we could also educate about what is logic, and what is not ( all the fallacious arguments used ).

Moreover : some knows all that science : but they just want to be true ( and get the power or convert people ) : or they have a mental illness. ( so this is also psychological )

A polemic (sophism,logical fallacy is not a debate (logicand rhetoric. ( and what we consider as a debate could also be fallacious : because of the conformist world view : see see cognitive bias )

reply to post by Titen-Sxull


LOL using expert or any kind of autorothy is also a fallacious arguments !

An expert, or a scientist is not any better when this is about ethics ,moral ...


[edit on 9-12-2009 by psychederic]

reply to post by schrodingers dog


Critical thinking? Methinks, that thinking doth deserve just criticism when most assuredly that thought is but reaction! Let words and thoughts be more than hapless prey to the floundering fallacies of fools, let them be better than vexing spews of vile vitriol and let them fall sweetly upon thine ear. Yea, though verily I revel in the thoughts of clearer consideration I too fall prey to whirlwind emotions and jealousies not suited for proper discourse. So, in conclusion, always in that canny and cunning end that becomes conclusion, I now weary of thinking and in its stead I wonder what words could do if only I could think as clear as words that need no definition.

Great thread, S. Dog! I would love to count myself as one who never, or at the very least rarely falls prey to fallacious arguments, but I know better. Indeed, the very first time you and I exchanged words it was I who took you to task for a smugness of attitude. A bit of my own smug Ad Hominen, I suppose. Ah to be hopelessly human. Thanks for sharing those links. I have bookmarked them and will consult them regularly.

reply to post by schrodingers dog


Nice list SD, now buy studying and using these techniques I'll be more effective in persuading people Humanity came up with a nig list over the years, isn’t it wonderful?

Honestly, one (or shell I say he/she? ) must be careful with these, so not to dismiss the argument by saying, ah you're using this and this fallacy, go away. On the other hand this may move the conversation on a new interesting level. S&F anyway for the useful information.

Wouldn't it be better to argue by asking questions? or is it on the list too?

........... and somewhat related, the art of Rogerian Rhetoric and how to recognize it for the e-vile carnivore in herbivore's outer epidermal covering it is! *


*myriad of spurious fallacies

Thank you for this post! The info in the links is very valuable. Even though I try to keep myself aware of NLP tactics in general, one can never be aware enough!

This is a great list.

The only one I have a tiny qualm with is this one:

Slippery Slope Fallacy (Camel's Nose)

there is an old saying about how if you allow a camel to poke his nose into the tent, soon the whole camel will follow.

The fallacy here is the assumption that something is wrong because it is right next to something that is wrong. Or, it is wrong because it could slide towards something that is wrong.

For example, "Allowing abortion in the first week of pregnancy would lead to allowing it in the ninth month." Or, "If we legalize marijuana, then more people will try heroin." Or, "If I make an exception for you then I'll have to make an exception for everyone."

This is kind of a no-win situation. If you're, say, in the work place and you do make an exception for someone, then you really might have to make one for everyone else, or risk showing favoritism.

That's more of an ethical quandary than a logical one, though.

reply to post by AceWombat04


not so much depending on the phrasing and the situation. in your case, you could be justified in saying 'if I make an exception for you, than we get put in a very bad spot if we don't make the exception for everyone' If it's true, then its not a fallacy based argument.

it is interesting how some of these fallacies can bite us on the backside. How many times have people made the argument that "we can't trust what this person says on this matter, hes on the board of directors for xyz corporation and they have a vested interest in this" and.. it turns out to be true.

rules it seems, are in their application, and knowing when various ones don't apply, which raises the question of when is pointing out fallacious arguments a fallacious argument in itself?

Originally posted by MysterE
reply to post by schrodingers dog

 

Am I the only one who thinks the word Fallacious could get you in trouble if not used properly...

-E-

You may be thinking of fellatious, which only appears in slang dictionary. And yes, it can definitely get you into trouble in 11 states and Puerto Rico.

reply to post by schrodingers dog


Very Nice SD

I wish I could say I had a better mastery of the subject.

On another note I did find this funny.

"When the telephone was first introduced to Saudi Arabia, some contended it was an instrument of the devil. But others pointed out that, according to Moslem doctrine, the devil is incapable of reciting the Koran. When several verses of the Koran were recited and heard over the phone, skeptics were convinced that the instrument wasn't evil." Wall Street Journal (11.11.79).

I saw something like this on another website, but it's the 'take the piss out of' approach:

Internet Argument Techniques

and:

Internet Debates