Thread: Logical Fallacies

I would like a proper list of logical fallacies with descriptions, please. I want to have it handy, so I can randomly choose one when engaged in some flaming. I might also carry it on my person, so I could quickly reference it when engaged in a heated discussion. Like a pocket handbook for habitual back-and-forthers! :-D

“Ah ha! I’ve got you now! Circular reasoning/it doesn’t follow/ straw man/etc.”

I believe that, as if often the case, wikipedia contains a useful article on the subject. I shall let you do the work and report back to us.

In terms of flaming techniques I was reminded of the following. Several years ago I worked with a thoroughly down to earth, wholly non-intellectual working class guy. I ran into him a few years later and he told me "You know, I tried doing what you recommended when arguing with people. I would lay out in a logical fashion what I thought and try to point out what was wrong with their logic. But now, when someone says something I don't agree with, I just hit them."

Originally Posted by KALSTER

I would like a proper list of logical fallacies with descriptions, please. I want to have it handy, so I can randomly choose one when engaged in some flaming. I might also carry it on my person, so I could quickly reference it when engaged in a heated discussion. Like a pocket handbook for habitual back-and-forthers! :-D

“Ah ha! I’ve got you now! Circular reasoning/it doesn’t follow/ straw man/etc.”

I have the PERFECT video for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXMKPvWqgYk

After watching this a couple of times you'll be an expert on logical fallacies :wink:

Cool! I noticed that they used Kent Hovind as an example a lot. I remember a guy at work giving me his DVD’s and encouraging me to watch them, quoting some of the nonsense as he did so. I fully expected a good laugh and wasn’t disappointed! Although I became angry later on, as I felt sorry for those poor people in his audience and all the people that had bought his DVD’s, now content in their belief of creationism. I was astonished by the sheer flood (pun intended in a southern accent ) of nonsense I was witnessing. Ignorance is terrifying! My first formal introduction to logical fallacies was Carl Sagan’s Baloney Detection Kit in his book Demon Haunted World. I was able to smell nonsense before that, but it provided a nice point-by-point view of the issue.

Originally Posted by Ophiolite

In terms of flaming techniques I was reminded of the following. Several years ago I worked with a thoroughly down to earth, wholly non-intellectual working class guy. I ran into him a few years later and he told me "You know, I tried doing what you recommended when arguing with people. I would lay out in a logical fashion what I thought and try to point out what was wrong with their logic. But now, when someone says something I don't agree with, I just hit them."

Obviously an expert in realpolitik... :P

Its pretty boring, whats the point behind the video? Don't we have better things to do with our time?

have you ever read "The Art of Always Being Right" by Schopenhauer ? goes to show that times may have changed but people haven't

if you were a member of philosophorum, you would be able to see the thread named the nature of debate

Obviously,

Thanks for the video - it was informative AND entertaining!

Ron

Originally Posted by Obviously

I have the PERFECT video for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXMKPvWqgYk

It is possible to refute fallacies without acting like a smirking jackass, as they did in the opening frame of the video. In fact, acting like a smirking jackass is its own type of fallacy:

Appeal to ridicule - A specific type of appeal to emotion where an argument is won by presenting the opponent's argument in a way that makes it appear ridiculous.

It's allowed when you're dealing with creationists like Ken Ham and Kent Hovind, common Harold! Creationists self-pwn! All they did in the video was to point it out Besides, where they wrong in what they said in the beginning?

http://www.flamewarriors.com/index.htm

http://www.wired.com/science/discove.../2006/02/70179

http://www.firelily.com/humor/rants/danger.html

Originally Posted by Ophiolite

I believe that, as if often the case, wikipedia contains a useful article on the subject. I shall let you do the work and report back to us.

In terms of flaming techniques I was reminded of the following. Several years ago I worked with a thoroughly down to earth, wholly non-intellectual working class guy. I ran into him a few years later and he told me "You know, I tried doing what you recommended when arguing with people. I would lay out in a logical fashion what I thought and try to point out what was wrong with their logic. But now, when someone says something I don't agree with, I just hit them."

was his name Robert?