Critical Thinking Skills, Winter 2008

Conestoga College, Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning

Week #4 Fallacies and Errors in Thinking

In this session we will examine the various errors that can impair thinking. We will also consider
how you can best discover them in other people’s writing and speaking and avoid them in your
own. The most basic error, “mine is better thinking” or egocentrism, seems rooted in our human
nature and paves the way for many other errors. As we have seen the perspective of egocentrism
is very limited. Egocentric people have difficulty seeing issues from a variety of viewpoints. The
world exists for them and is defined by their unexamined beliefs and values. Egocentric people
tend to respond to complex situations with oversimplifications. This attitude makes it difficult for
egocentric people to observe, listen, understand and learn. Egocentrism is the most basic problem
for critical thinking because, left unchecked, it can distort perception and corrupt judgment. By
controlling egocentrism we can achieve a significant degree of objectivity.

Errors of Perspective

Errors of Perspective are like seriously distorted lenses, except instead of being
perched on our noses, they inhabit our mind.

Unwarranted Assumptions

The Either/Or Outlook

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Mindless Conformity

Absolutism

Relativism

Bias for or Against Change

Errors of Procedure

Errors of procedure occur in the process of addressing specific issues

Biased Consideration of Evidence

Double Standard

Hasty Conclusion

Overgeneralization and Stereotyping

Oversimplification

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The Post Hoc Fallacy or Post hoc, ergo propter hoc
Errors of Expression

Errors of Expression occur when we express our views to others, in speaking or writing.

Contradiction

Arguing in a Circle

Meaningless Statement

Mistaken Authority

False Analogy

Irrational Appeals

a) Appeal to Emotion

b)Appeal to Tradition

c)Appeal to Moderation

d)Appeal to Authority

e)Appeal to Common Belief

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f)Appeal to Tolerance

Errors of Reaction

Errors of reaction are face saving devices we use to explain away criticisms of our ideas.

Automatic Rejection

Changing the Subject

Shifting the Burden of Proof

Straw Man

Attacking the Critic