Transcript What is a Fallacy? - mrsrobinsonenglish

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010
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Bellwork In your
blue grammar book,
copy rule 18b and the
examples on pg. 550
and complete exercise
1 on pg. 551.
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If you are presenting
today, get out the
necessary items for
your presentation
(your script and
notecards) and let Mr.
Brooker know where
your powerpoint is
saved under so he
can prepare his
computer.
REVIEW OF PROPAGANDA
TECHNIQUES
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What is “propaganda”?
Identify the following propaganda
techniques
Bandwagon
Testimonial
Loaded Words
Plain Folks
Name-calling
Persuasive Devices (part 2) &
Logical Fallacies
Snob Appeal
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This is where an appeal is made to the
authority of the select few, the aristocrats.
Nobody wants to think they are merely
one of the vast crowds; they want to be in
the upidey ups.
Transfer
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It is an attempt to make the subject view a certain item
in the same way as they view another item, to link the
two in the subjects mind.
By linking an item to something the subject respects or
enjoys, positive feelings can be generated for it.
However, in politics, transfer is most often used to
transfer blame or bad feelings from one politician to
another of his friends or party members, or even to the
party itself.
What is a Fallacy?
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A fallacy is an error in reasoning or a
flawed argument.
A fallacy is an "argument" in which the
premises (reasons) given for the
conclusion do not provide the needed
degree of support.
Fallacies may be created unintentionally,
or they may be created intentionally in
order to deceive other people.
Prevalence of Fallacies
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Fallacies are all around you…
Advertisements in magazines, on T.V.,
on billboards all contain fallacies
Politicians use fallacies to persuade you
Types
of
Fallacies
Ad Hominem / Personal
Attack
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Ad Hominem (“against the person”)
attacks the person and not the issue
The major difficulty with labeling a piece
of reasoning as an ad hominem fallacy is
deciding whether the personal attack is
relevant.
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Example: Why should we think a
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candidate who recently divorced will
keep her campaign promises?
False Analogy
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The assumption that because two things
are alike in some respects, they are alike
in others.
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If we put humans on the moon, we should be
able to find a cure for the common cold.
False Dilemma - Either/Or
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Reduces complicated issues to only two
possible courses of action.
Example: The patent office can either
approve my generator design
immediately or say goodbye forever to
affordable energy.
Appeal to fear
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Try to frighten people into agreeing with
the arguer by threatening them or
predicting unrealistically dire
consequences.
Example: If you don’t support the party’s
tax plan, you and your family will be
reduced to poverty.
Straw man
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Oversimplifies an opponent's viewpoint
and then attacks that hollow argument.
Example: People who don't support the
proposed state minimum wage increase
hate the poor.
Slippery Slope
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Suggests that one thing will lead to
another, oftentimes with disastrous
results.
Example: If you get a B in high school,
you won’t get into the college of your
choice, and therefore will never have a
meaningful career.
REVIEW QUIZ!
See what you know.
Identify the fallacy:
1. A husband comforts his wife. The wife is
near tears.
 Husband: Stop worrying. Please…calm down!
 Wife: You just don't understand! She's only 13. If
she goes to the movies with a boy this weekend,
she'll be married in four years; she'll never go to
college. She'll be driving kids to kindergarten
before she's 20!
a. False dilemma - either/or
b. Straw man
c. Slippery slope
Identify the fallacy:
2. Two political candidates are having a
debate.
 Candidate 1: Isn’t it true that you are a cat
owner??
 Candidate 2: …yes?
 Candidate 1: Well then, it’s clear to me and the
voters that you care little about healthcare and in
fact, hate all people with allergies.
a. Ad hominem (attacking the person)
b. False analogy
c. Appeal to fear
Identify the fallacy:
3. Two friends getting coffee during a break.
 QUESTIONER: So! Who is your choice for Mayor?
 FRIEND: I would never vote for Jones!
 QUESTIONER: Why?
 FRIEND: He has a big car, a big house. He's
probably a rich snob. I don’t think he’ll be a good
mayor.
a. Straw man
b. False dilemma (either/or)
c. Ad hominem (attacking the person)
Identify the fallacy:
4. A Blackman high school student in his/her
essay:
“…either we do away with block scheduling entirely
or we say goodbye to the best graduation rates
in the county.”
a. Straw man
b. False dilemma (either/or)
c. Ad hominem (attacking the person)
Identify the fallacy:
5. A political ad endorsing a certain
candidate“The terrorists want you to support Bill Haslam. A
vote for him is a vote for the end of life as we
know it.”
a. Appeal to fear
b. False dilemma (either/or)
c. Ad hominem (attacking the person)
Identify the fallacy:
6. An editorial in a magazine“People who don’t agree with gay marriage are
bigots who hate gay people.”
a. Straw man
b. False dilemma (either/or)
c. Ad hominem (attacking the person)
Logical Fallacy Essay
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It is the distant future, and
you are running for office
in Rutherford county.
The only person who
stands in your way is Mr.
Reginald P. McGillicuddy,
who is running against
you.
You know this about himhe is a bit overweight, he
disagrees with raising the
taxes, he supports year
round schooling, he wants
to crack down on crime in
poor neighborhoods in
Murfreesboro, and he
owns two goldfish.
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He’s also a motorcycle
enthusiast.
Logical Fallacy essay
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You are to write a three
paragraph speech to the
voters of Rutherford
county on why they should
not vote for Mr. Reginald
P. McGillicuddy.
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You are to use in your speech
all 6 of the logical fallacies we
went over1. Ad hominem
2. False analogy
3. False dilemma (either/or)
4. Appeal to fear
5. Straw Man
6. Slippery slope
Then in an additional
paragraph, use snob appeal
and transfer to convince your
voters to give you their vote
on election day.