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Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Example 1:
All factories are plants. 3.2.1 Fallacies of Relevance
All plants are things that contain
chlorophyll. 1. Appeal to force (Argumentum ad
Therefore, all factories are things Baculum)
that contain chlorophyll. Is also called (appeal to the stick)
(The fallacious nature of this It occurs whenever an arguer uses a
argument cannot be identified physical or psychological threat
through the mere inspection of the (force), which is logically irrelevant
form, but through analysis of the to the subject matter of the
content) conclusion, and is simply to
Example 2: convince its opponent.
All valid deductive arguments with
all true premises are sound. Example:
All sounds can be measured in bel
A teacher to a student:
or decibel.
“You should attend the lecture
Therefore, all valid arguments can
regularly. If you miss a single lecture
be measured in bel or decibel.
you will be dismissed from the
(Fallacious, because there is an
university”
illusion in the meaning of the word
sound)
Example:
(Police inspector to suspected
3.2 Classification of Informal
criminal)
Fallacies
You have committed the crime; if
Aristotle and other logicians
you do not accept this you will be
classified informal fallacies in to
tortured the whole night.
many forms.
The major categories are fallacies of
2. Appeal to Pity (Argumentum ad
relevance, weak induction,
Misricordiam)
presumption, ambiguity and
grammatical analogy.
Fikadu Kenenisa (MA) Page 2 of 10
Introduction to Logic (Phil 201) Lecture Notes, Ch-3
Best medical doctors are those who is committed when the analogy is
are paid salaries in excess of 10,000 not strong enough to support the
Eth. Birr. Therefore, the best way to conclusion. Example:
ensure Dr. Dereje will become the Object A has a, b, c and z qualities.
best medical doctor is to raise his Object B has a, b, c, qualities.
salary to at least 10,000 Eth. Birr. Therefore, object b probably has
quality z.
12.3. Oversimplified cause 3.2.3 Fallacies of Presumption
It occurs when a multitude of Arguments containing these fallacies
cause is responsible for a certain presume (guess) what they purport
effect but the arguer selects just one to prove.
of these and represents it as if it is Four kinds:
the sole (only) cause. 15. Begging the question
Example: (Petitio Principii)
There are more laws on books today To commit this fallacy some form of
than ever before, and more crimes phraseology be used that tends to
are being committed than ever conceal the questionably true
before. Therefore, to reduce crime we character of a key premise.
must eliminate the laws. (Hurley In other words, the arguer creates
140) the illusion that premises provide
13. Slippery slope adequate support by:
It is another variety of false cause. It 1. Leaving out key premise
occurs when the conclusion of an (Ignoring the questionably true
argument rests up on an alleged premise which is needed to make the
chain reaction and there is no argument valid.)
sufficient reason (not likely to Example:
occur) to think that the chain of Murder is morally wrong. This being
reaction will actually takes place. the case, it follows that abortion is
14. Weak Analogy morally wrong.
It affects inductive argument from (It ignores the questionably true
Analogy. It premise which is
Fikadu Kenenisa (MA) Page 7 of 10
Introduction to Logic (Phil 201) Lecture Notes, Ch-3
Example:
Salt is a nonpoisonous compound.
Therefore, its component elements
sodium and chlorine are
nonpoisonous.
[The attribute nonpoisonous is
wrongly transferred from the whole
on to the parts.