Have you ever find arguments or statements that are hard to understand? Or even it is pretty normal, but the conclusion that we have by reading that argument leads to a wrong statement, considered by our logical thinking sense. Probably, there are logical fallacies in that arguments, let’s find out what is logical fallacies.
What are Logical Fallacies?
The fallacy has a similar meaning to ‘deception’ according to Latin. That is because logical fallacies deceive the listener of the argument. So now we know that logical fallacies mean the existence of an argument that is wrong according to logical thinking.
Fallacies are basic blunders in thinking that will sabotage the rationale of your contention. Fallacies notions can either ill-conceived contentions or immaterial focuses and regularly recognized on the grounds that they need proof that underpins their case.
Dodge these basic Fallacies notions in your own contentions and watch for them in the arguments of others.
Here are different types of logical fallacy to help you identify and understanding an argument.
1. Fallacy of composition
This type of fallacy occupies in the conclusion that generalizes things with too few samples.
Example:
- If her sister and her older brother are good at playing the piano, then all of her family and relatives must be good at playing the piano.
2. Fallacy of division
This argument have a fallacy that placed by their generalization of two completely different aspects.
Example:
- If my glasses is about a half of your glasses price, then my glasses must be a half part of your glasses.
3. Circular Reasoning Fallacy
The evidence or opinion in this type of argument is just circular, it doesn’t have strong evidence for the claim in the argument. So basically, it says that A is true because B is true, and B is true because A is true.
Example:
- Nichol: Why do you believe in the C theory?
- Sam: Because it is written by Mr, Y who is a very proficient engineer.
- Nichol: Why do you believe that Mr. Y is a very proficient engineer?
- Sam: Because he wrote the A theory.
4. Straw man fallacy
The straw man fallacy is happening on the opposite side, which is by the opponent of the argument speaker, which exaggerate, over-simplify, or misrepresents your argument to answer back your argument that leads to some meaning which is actually not true so that they can win the argument.
Example:
- Nancy: I think we should move the sofa to that side of the room
- Jimmy: Why aren’t you appreciating the interior designer? Do you have any problem with him? Or you just don’t like him so you decide not to respect his works?
5. Red herring fallacy
This fallacy makes a distraction to the argument because their statements are just irrelevant to each of them.
Example:
- I know that he is a criminal, but look, he is very handsome doesn’t he?
6. The bandwagon fallacy
The fallacy occurs when some condition that commonly known to us, is affecting the conclusion of the argument that actually is not relevant because it has nothing to do with each other.
Example:
- Most of the citizens know that Brand M is the company with the highest car prices, so the cars made by Brand M must be the fastest car.
7. Slippery slope fallacy
This type of fallacy creates such a way too long chain of cause-effect conditions that leads to an unacceptable outcome as the final consequence.
Example:
- Staying up late will make you live in a card box, because
- If you are staying up late, you will exhausted the next morning
- When you exhausted in the morning, you won’t focused on your work
- If you’re not focused in your work, your boss would be mad
- After your boss is mad, he will fire you
- Because you’re fired, that means you’re losing your job
- Losing your job means there is no income
- No income makes you can’t pay the apartment rent
- Not buying the rent would make the apartment owner kick you out
- After you’ve got kicked out, you don’t have anywhere to live, so you got to live in a card box
Characteristics
There are three characteristic of logical fallacies that written down below:
- There must be a logical thinking fallacy
- Can be applied to an argument
- Has the deception impression
So, staying up late will make you live in a card box.
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