...MPC Autumn 2016: Key logical fallacies to be aware of Logical fallacy | Example argument and critique of argument | Argument base on analogy: To argue by analogy is to argue that because two things are similar, what is true of one is also true of the other. | Fallacy: Democracy does not work in a family. Parents should have the ultimate say because they are wiser and their children do not know what is best for themselves. Similarly the best form of government for a society is not a democratic one but one where the leaders are more like parents. Explanation of why the argument is a fallacy: There are many relevant ways in which a family is different from a society. First, the government officials need not be wiser than the citizens. Also, many parents might care for their children out of love and affection but government officials might not always have the interests of the people at heart. | Ad homenem: A theory is discarded not because of any evidence against it or lack of evidence for it, but because of the person who argues for it. | Fallacy: Consider the following exchange, where person B uses an Ad homenem fallacy.Person A argues: The Government should enact minimum-wage legislation so that workers are not exploited.Person B enacts fallacious rebuttal: Nonsense. You say that only because you cannot find a good job.Explanation of why the argument is a fallacy: Person B might be correct, but equally, might not be correct. In this case Person B assumes that because Person...
Words: 861 - Pages: 4
...information technology for management and handling of information and data has grown significantly even in many least-developed countries, despite their economic constraints. The use of information technology in libraries has been profoundly affecting all aspects of information acquisition, storage, and transfer. Its magnificent development has dramatically changed the mode of library operations and information services; we have now started to speak of a new type of information source, ‘knowledge base’.[2] Computer-based communications have not only widened the access to information and helped establish linkages with the professional colleagues and friends elsewhere, it has extensively facilitated message transmission, transfer and exchange of files and text, uploading/downloading, database access, interactive services, provision of bulletin boards and newsletters, job submission and execution, dissemination of information, and so on....
Words: 2293 - Pages: 10
...Click a fallacy on the left and drag it over to the correct example on the right. Repeat until all fallacies are correctly matched with their corresponding examples. Congratulations! You have completed this activity. Apple Polishing Of course, Cory, a generous, kind and giving brother, would let us play with his racetrack. Ad Hominem Todd agrees with the referee's call and says the referee made a good decision when he called the pass incomplete; however, this cannot be considered true because Todd is the head coach for the opposing team. Two Wrongs Make a Right On the way to his car, George noticed he was not charged for his second gallon of milk. He decides not to return to the store because if he had overpaid on the item, the store would not have returned his money. Slippery Slope If I do not pass Critical Thinking, I will not be able to move to the next course. If I do not move to the next course, I probably will not be able to continue in school, and if I do not continue in school, I will not earn my degree. Straw Man We might as well forget what Bishop Simon has to say about abortion and ethics. After all, he is a Catholic bishop so it is natural he would have those views. Begging the Question Critical Thinking must be a difficult class because Andrea said so. Red Herring I know you didn't get all your homework done because the Internet is out. But, if you had done the work days ago, you wouldn't be worried now. Appeal to Popularity I read the other day that...
Words: 361 - Pages: 2
...UNDERSTANDING BOOLEAN LOGIC AND ITS APPLICATIONS In the 1800’s (1815-1864), George Boole, a English mathematician who did extensive work in the subject of logic, invented a system of mathematics in which the abstract concepts of true and false can be used in computations. In an attempt to create a new form of mathematics, Mr. Boole identified certain patterns of logic that were later found to be easily translated into an electronic language—essentially, a "switchon/switchoff" pattern. Today, using tiny electronic switching mechanisms inside the computer, "decisions" are made with lightning speed within the central processing unit (CPU). These decisions are based on whether a tiny switch is on or off at any given time. Computer programmers follow prescribed sets of instructions to "teach" computers how to make decisions to carry out instructions. Programming is made possible by sets of instructions called languages. Many of these languages are made up of the logic building blocks identified by Mr. Boole more than 100 years ago, long before computers. The building blocks that Mr. Boole identified are AND logic, OR logic, NOT logic, NAND logic, and NOR logic. Computer decisions are made from these patterns of logic. All programming languages allow you to create expressions that can be evaluated as either true or false, which are called Boolean expressions. A Boolean condition is a conditional statement containing a Boolean expression, and another name for a conditional...
Words: 703 - Pages: 3
...this paper I want to address the coincidence of two powerful cultural forces of the early 20th century: modernist design in architecture and the philosophy of logical empiricism. This coincidence is most dramatically represented in the connection between two groups, who have each had powerful cultural influence in this century: The Bauhaus (1919 - 1933: Weimar, Dessau, Berlin, Chicago) The “Vienna Circle” (1922 - 1938: Vienna, Amsterdam. The former became the premier school of modernist design, and contained as faculty many of the most influential artists, designers and architects of the century. The Vienna Circle was a group consisting mostly of non-philosophers, who met weekly for discussion of philosophical issues. These informal meetings brought about the birth of logical empiricism, a movement which set the agenda for philosophy in America after the second world war. Herbert Feigl, Otto Neurath and Rudolph Carnap, central participants in the Vienna Circle, gave public lectures at the Bauhaus beginning in summer of 1929, when the Bauhaus was in Dessau under the leadership in Hannes Meyer. Their influence was sufficiently strong that logical empiricist philosophy became part of the standard curriculum of the school. A second very clear connection between modernist architecture and logical empiricism is the work of Ludwig Wittgenstein. Although Wittgenstein was not a licenced, practicing architect, he oversaw the construction of one of the most...
Words: 3702 - Pages: 15
...Week 1 Textbook Exercises Jessica Pollock MTH/221 October 28, 2013 Leslie Fife Week 1 Textbook Exercises Chapter 1 Supplementary Exercises #7. There are 12 men at a dance. (a) In how many ways can eight of them be selected to form a cleanup crew? Order does not matter Cannot repeat N = 12 R = 8 (b) How many ways are there to pair off eight women at the dance with eight of these 12 men? Order does matter Cannot repeat N = 12 R = 8 Exercises 2.1 #3 Let p,q be primitive statements for which the implication is false. Determine the truth values for each of the following. a. = false True and false b. = false not true or false c. = true False implies true d. = false Not false implies not true Exercises 2.2 #17 For any statements p,q, prove that a. P | q | | | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | b. p | q | | | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Exercises 2.3 #1 The following are three valid arguments. Establish the validity of each by means of a truth table. In each case, determine which rows of the table are crucial for assessing the validity of the argument and which rows can be ignored. a. P | Q | R` | | | | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1...
Words: 844 - Pages: 4
...AO1 Candidates may begin with an account of the work of the Logical Positivists, possibly even giving an account of the forming of the Vienna Circle and the writings which led these philosophers to come together. Some may mention Wittgenstein’s Tractatus but they should be aware that he was not himself a member of the Circle. This may lead to an exploration of the strengths and weaknesses of the Verification Principle, with some demonstration of the self-refuting nature of the principle itself. Some may use examples from religious language of the kinds of statements which the Vienna circle were accusing of meaninglessness such as; ‘God is all-loving, all powerful, your God is a jealous God.’ Some candidates may take their arguments towards an explanation of the later writings of Wittgenstein and introduce the ideas of language games; and his claim that language gets its meaning from the context in which it is used or the rules of the game you are playing at any given time. Others may explore the approach taken by the Vienna Circle to analytic and synthetic statements, explaining the need for synthetic statements to be verifiable by empirical evidence if they were to be considered meaningful. In this context some may address the issue of strong and weak verification. AO2 In their evaluation candidates may assess the underlying assumption of Logical Positivism that it is only scientific propositions which can accurately describe the reality of our world. Arguably not religious...
Words: 367 - Pages: 2
...Examine the contribution that two of the following may make to the study of religious language * Analogy * Symbol and myth * Language games Religious language has been around for years and two of the contributions that relate to this are analogy and language games. Religious language is used to talk about religious ideas for example the existence of god. The Vienna circle can up with the idea of the verification principle and they believed that unless something can be empirically proven then it doesn’t exist meaning that it has no meaning. However one issue with this theory is that you cannot prove something that isn’t of sight for example historical statements and emotional statements. This also applies to religious statements because god cannot be proven meaning his is not a physical being making him meaningless. However Ayer creates the weak verification principle and argues you can have statements like ‘I love you’ and historical statements but he argues that along as it can be proven as some point then it is not meaningless. Analogy is another way of describing things in religious language for example Paley’s idea of the world being like a watch. Univocal language is good when describing god because you can relate to it for example saying ‘god is good’ and saying ‘that was good’ gives you a measure of how good god really is because you understand what good means, meaning it is easy to relate and understand because it can be related to anything including...
Words: 1149 - Pages: 5
...| | | Business Trip Checklist | | | While You Are Away: Preparing the Office ☒ | Organize any necessary meetings to take place on your trip; book appointments and meeting rooms. | ☐ | If traveling internationally, obtain any necessary paperwork and vaccinations. | ☐ | Familiarize yourself with local business customs common at destination. | ☐ | Confirm appointments, schedules, reservations, etc. | ☐ | Tie up any loose ends at the office (finish up projects; set up out-of-office replies; notify or remind coworkers about your departure). | ☐ | Print out hard copies of presentations, agendas, and important documents. | While You Are Away: Preparing the Home ☐ | Arrange for child, pet, and plant care; communicate needs and schedules. | ☐ | Pause routine deliveries. | ☐ | Make your home seem lived-in while away by putting lights and a radio on timers. | ☐ | Turn down thermostat. | ☐ | Leave house and car keys, and your complete itinerary, with a trusted friend. | ☐ | Lock windows, garages, and doors. | Packing for the Trip ☐ | Make a list of the specific items of clothing you’ll need to pack for your trip to suit the various functions you’ll attend. | ☐ | Try to pack everything you need in a carry-on bag, to avoid the possibility of lost luggage. | ☐ | If you check your bag, pack a second set of business clothes and toiletries in a carry-on bag, in case of lost luggage. | ☐ | Print several copies of this checklist, and save a copy on your...
Words: 324 - Pages: 2
...Logical Fallacies Fallacies are common errors in reasoning that will undermine the logic of your argument. Fallacies can be either illegitimate arguments or irrelevant points, and are often identified because they lack evidence that supports their claim. Avoid these common fallacies in your own arguments and watch for them in the arguments of others. • o Slippery Slope: This is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either. Example:If we ban Hummers because they are bad for the environment eventually the government will ban all cars, so we should not ban Hummers. In this example, the author is equating banning Hummers with banning all cars, which is not the same thing. o Hasty Generalization: This is a conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence. In other words, you are rushing to a conclusion before you have all the relevant facts. Example: Even though it's only the first day, I can tell this is going to be a boring course. In this example, the author is basing his evaluation of the entire course on only the first day, which is notoriously boring and full of housekeeping tasks for most courses. To make a fair and reasonable evaluation the author must attend not one but several classes, and possibly even examine the textbook, talk to the professor, or talk...
Words: 1157 - Pages: 5
...Task 1(A) Global Marketplace Activity (A1) Being the largest hospital corporation in the world, with over 160 hospitals, 100 surgical clinics, and a never ending amount of specialty facilities, supplies are an essential component to the successful day to day operations. In the event that those supplies were not able to be delivered on time, the possibility of not being able to provide properly for our patients would be immense. And with the company receiving certain supplies from all over the world, it is very possible that due to measures beyond the hospital corporations control or the supplying company that delivery of supplies could be delayed due to inclement weather, natural or manmade disasters. This in turn could have a substantial impact to the quality of care provided and received. In addition, the hospital corporation is also a key component to several ongoing research projects for treatment, cures and vaccinations for various diseases and infections, all of which rely on the supplies provided by other research facilities or specialty supplies provided by specific supply companies who could be impacted by these potential disasters, which would debilitate and prolong the success of the research projects effected. Risk Source (A2) The source for the first risk identified would be nothing more than age and continual use. The boiler at the Disaster Recovery site is the original boiler for the building which is approximately 50 years old, and even though the boiler...
Words: 2981 - Pages: 12
...Critically assess the claim that religious language is meaningless? Many philosophers have argued as to whether or not the ways in which we speak about religion are relevant or meaningful. This issue of religious language looks at the way we talk about God, debate ideas and communicate our theist or atheist ideologies. For some, religious language is meaningful and full of purpose while others see it to being incomprehensible and pointless. The verification principle a theory proposed by A.J. Ayer is a key argument, which addresses whether religious language is meaningful or not. Ayer was one of the logical positivists, a Viennese group of philosophers who were inspired by the theories of the early Wittgenstein and he sought to answer what makes a statement ‘meaningful’ as opposed to what makes it ‘true’. Ayer begins his thesis with the claim that language is only meaningful if it can be verified by a sense-observation. If you cannot demonstrate with sense-observations how a statement is true, then the statement is factually meaningless. A ‘putative proposition’ is the name Ayer gives to statements yet to be verified. A putative statement is either verifiable practically or in principle. For instance, a statement such as “that is a red car” is verifiable in practice by looking at the car. However, a statement such as “There is life in another universe” is verifiable in principle but not in practice, as we possess insufficient technology. Therefore Ayer then makes distinctions...
Words: 1356 - Pages: 6
...Mack: Hey Moe, you stopped kicking puppies yet? [loaded question] Moe : I don’t know, you stop eating kittens? [loaded question] Mack : Yeah, well, never mind that. When are you going to pay me for that bet? Moe : When it rains cats and dogs. [rhetorical analogy] Mack : You mean when you actually take a shower? [rhetorical analogy] You know I won that bet fair and square. A bet is a bet, now give me my $20. Moe : You , I and everyone else who watched the fight knows he was drunk when he got in the ring. Or were you drunk when you watched it? [rhetorical question] Mack : Moe, pay me already. Why you making such a huge problem? It’s only $20. [rhetorical question] Moe : I don’t know about you, but $20 is a lot nowadays, especially how the economy’s going. [circumstantial ad hominem] Mack : Good god, man! [hyperbole] How much is too much for you? [line-drawing fallacy] Jest yesterday you were bragging how the boss gave you a bonus [inconsistency ad hominem]. Moe : I never said such thing! Mack : Yes, you did. Moe : What proof do you have? [misplacing burden of proof] Mack : My memory is like the memory of an elephant. [hyperbole] Moe : Then why couldn’t you remember your wife’s birthday? Mack : That was one time! [question begging] Moe : Yeah well, if I pay you back, Jack would come to me and ask for his money and then Joe will come asking for his money and then that kid I borrowed that quarter from will track me down and ask for his quarter back. [slippery...
Words: 419 - Pages: 2
...EN1420: Module 3 Identifying, Organizing, and Analyzing Your Sources Exercise 3.1: Identify the Logical Fallacies Each statement below contains a logical fallacy. Identify the fallacy and briefly explain, in one or two sentences, why it is an error in reasoning. 1. Mabel is not qualified to lead the school board because she used to drink liquor in her 20s. • Ad hominem: committed by attacking the person who's making an argument, rather than the argument itself. One of the most common fallacies, it is a direct attack on a person's character rather than focusing on his or her arguments. Stating that Mabel used to drink that why she is not qualified it a person attack. 2. A child can be either an athlete or a good student. • Either/Or: An oversimplification that assumingly reduces several alternatives to a mere binary opposition, basically means you only have two choices. You only have two choices of being a athlete or a good student. You can choose to be bad student if you wanted. 3. Any change in health care will lead to socialism; we don’t want to live in a socialist country, so we can’t reform health care. • Slippery Slope (Bad Precedent): assuming that a proposed step will set off an uncontrollable chain of undesirable events. Changing health will lead to socialism is an extreme statement. 4. All teenagers text while they drive; therefore, we should raise the driving age to 21. • Hasty Generalization: drawing conclusions from too little of evidence and often relying...
Words: 608 - Pages: 3
...Anna Kathrina B.Viesca BS Biology 2-2 Philo 101 November 09, 2015 Fallacies 1. False Cause Christian got a failing grade and didn`t graduate on time because he took a picture beside the oblation statue in their university. 2. Argument Against the Person I absolutely don`t listen to Reggie’s arguments on education, he`s an idiot. 3. Appeal to Tradition Dave: For 11 years, the men in our family manage our funeral service and became an embalmer. Therefore, it is my duty to become an embalmer. Claudine: Do you want to be an embalmer? Dave: It doesn`t matter. It is our family tradition. Who am I to break it? 4. Black or White Cheska got the highest score in Physics. She either study hard or cheat during the examination. 5. Complex Question Are you still a chain smoker? 6. Appeal to Pity I`m positive that my work will meet your requirements. I really need the job since my mother needs to undergo a surgical operation in the heart. 7. False Dichotomy Your grades show you just aren`t trying. Either study more or drop out of school! 8. Appeal to Novelty The android operating system just released “Marshmallow”. It is better than anything else because it`s the latest android version. 9. Apple Polishing Saleslady: You should definitely buy this car. You look so good in it. You look at least 5 years younger behind that wheel. Customer: I`ll take it. 10. Poisoning the Well Mayor Lustre is a very good talker. Yes talk, he can do very well. But when it comes time...
Words: 464 - Pages: 2
