I am half convinced that complaints about logical fallacies constitute the last refuge of the scoundrel and dunce.

in logical •  last year 

image.png
(Not, of course, that only scoundrels and dunces make them!)

But look at this sloppy chart, supposedly from a philosophy website (but see 3):

(1.) Wrongly stated. An ad hominem does NOT always occur when one attacks the person making the argument instead of the argument:

"So, you should give me all your money."
"You are complete scoundrel, aren't you?"

No logical fallacy here at all. Neither would it be a logical fallacy to hit him with a stick.

(3.) Most of what we know, we know by authority. Appeals to authority are the bedrock of civilization.

Why does the person who made this chart put "allegedly" in parentheses? It matters if the person whose authority you appeal to really is an authority. Of course, expert opinion does not "prove" something to be true, but all things being equal, it makes it more likely. If the author of this chart is merely saying that empirical evidence is never absolute, I would agree. But I am tired of people dissing arguments from authority. When they say, "No, you should study the evidence itself to make up your mind," they neglect the fact that almost every scrap of THAT evidence also requires numerous appeals to authority, if only of an "alleged" eyewitness.

(5.) Bandwagon appeals can also be legitimate. "Hmmn, everyone in this town seems to put up a Christmas tree. Christmas must be really popular here." That's not an iron-clad argument, but it isn't irrational, either. Popular appeals do warrant some kinds of conclusion, for instance about popularity.

(7.) I saw someone illustrate "false choice" by saying, "There are only two parties to vote for in America." But if you want to vote for a likely winner in most American elections, there really are just two votes.

(10.) That something has been practiced a long time does not mean it MUST be good or true, but it very likely does indicate value of some kind to the practice. (Given that human beings are somewhat rational, and tend to act to their benefit, and that acting a certain way over many generations is, in effect, a kind of pragmatic test of its efficacy.) See Chesterton's Fence. See "reinvent the wheel."

Authors get paid when people like you upvote their post.
If you enjoyed what you read here, create your account today and start earning FREE STEEM!