• Basic punctuation • Logical Fallacies

Basic Punctuation

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Logical Fallacies

Fallacies

• 1. Oversimplification• 2. Hasty generalization• 3. Post hoc, ergo proper hoc:• 4. Begging the question• 5. False analogy: • 6. Either/or thinking:• 7. Non sequitur:

(1) Oversimplification:

• A drastically simple solution to what is clearly a complex problem (multiple causes are re-duced to just one or a few)

For example: We have a balance-of-trade deficit because foreigners make better products than we do.

Another example: School violence has gone up and academic performance has gone down every since organized prayer was banned at public schools. Therefore, prayer should be reintroduced, resulting in school improvement.

It’s an oversimplification because

• The above example assumes that problems in schools (increasing vio-lence, decreasing academic perfor-mance) can be attributed to a single cause (the loss of organized, state-mandated prayers).

(2) Hasty generalization:

• In inductive reasoning, a generaliza-tion that is based on too little evi-dence or on evidence that is not rep-resentative (Basically, don’t be too quick to judge)

For example: My grandparents eat oat meal for breakfast, just as most older folks do.

(3) Post hoc, ergo propter hoc:

• “ After this, therefore because of this.” Confusing chance or coinci-dence with causation. The fact that one event comes after another does not necessarily mean that the first event cause the second:

For example: I went to the hockey game last night. The next thing I knew I had a cold.

(4) Begging the question

Begging the questions is a fallacy in which the premises include the claim that the conclusion is true or (directly or indirectly) assume that the con-clusion is true.

For example: Lying is wrong because people should always tell the truth.

(5) False analogy:

• Making a misleading analogy between logi-cally unconnected ideas

For example: If we can clone mammals, we should be able to find a cure for cancer.

For example: Government is like business, so just as business must be sensitive primarily to the bottom line, so also must government. (But the objectives of government and busi-ness are completely different, so probably they will have to meet different criteria)

(6) Either or/thinking

• Seeing only two alternatives when there may in fact be other possibili-ties

For example: Either you love your job, or you hate it.

(7) Non sequitur:

• “It does not follow.” An inference or conclusion that is not clearly related to the established premises or evi-dence:

For example: She is very sincere. She must know what she’s talking about.

Check your papers

• Do you have any logical fallacies?

• I will continue to check your para-graphs

• (You should have three to show me)• Goal: Two more paragraphs.