Transcript Propaganda and Logical Fallacies

Propaganda and Logical
Fallacies
An Introduction to the Art of Argument
Propaganda
Propaganda is information, esp. of a biased or misleading nature,
used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of
view.
Bandwagon
Bandwagon: makes the appeal that “everyone else is
doing it, and so should you.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmB_Uw5fVec
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUZrrbgCdYc
Glittering Generalities
Glittering Generalities: use of virtue words; the
opposite of name calling, i.e., links a person, or idea, to
a positive symbol.
Ex: I stand for freedom: for a strong nation, unrivaled in
the world. My opponent believes we must compromise on
these ideals, but I believe they are our birthright.
Begging the Question
Begging the Question: a type of informal fallacy in
which an implicit premise would directly entail the
conclusion; in other words, basing a conclusion on an
assumption that is as much in need of proof or
demonstration as the conclusion itself.
Ex. Filthy and polluting coal should be banned.
Cardstacking
Cardstacking: Manipulating information to make a
product appear better than it is often by unfair
comparison or omitting facts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z0Ia5jDt4
Plain Folks
Plain Folks: attempt to convince the audience that a
prominent person and his ideas are “of the people.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoGoeT41onM
Fear
Fear: plays on deep-seated fears; warns the audience
that disaster will result if they do not follow a particular
course of action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y8YVqECqeE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKI4t5MFG1E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMIYVDuyX1Q
Logical Fallacies
Fallacies are common errors in reasoning that will undermine the logic of your argument.
Fallacies can be either illegitimate arguments or irrelevant points, and are often identified
because they lack evidence that supports their claim. Avoid these common fallacies in
your own arguments and watch for them in the arguments of others.
Genetic Fallacy
This conclusion is based on an argument
that the origins of a person, idea,
institute, or theory determine its
character, nature, or worth.
Ex. The Volkswagen Beetle is an evil
car because it was originally designed
by Hitler's army.
Slippery Slope
Slippery Slope: This is a conclusion based on the
premise that if A happens, then eventually through a
series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will
happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't
want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIv3m2gMgUU
Hasty Generalization
This is a conclusion based on insufficient or
biased evidence. In other words, you are
rushing to a conclusion before you have all the
relevant facts.
Ex: Even though it's only the first day, I can tell
this is going to be a boring course.
Either/Or
Either/or: This is a conclusion that oversimplifies the
argument by reducing it to only two sides or choices.
Example: We can either stop using cars or destroy the earth.
Red Herring
This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key
issues, often by avoiding opposing arguments
rather than addressing them.
Example: The level of mercury in seafood may
be unsafe, but what will fishers do to support
their families?
False Authority
False Authority is a tactic used by many writers,
especially in advertising. An authority in one field may
know nothing of another field. Being knowledgeable in
one area doesn’t constitute knowledge in other areas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPzKntJo-IY
Moral Equivalence
This fallacy compares minor misdeeds with
major atrocities.
That parking attendant who gave me a
ticket is as bad as Hitler.
Post Hoc
Post hoc ergo propter hoc: This is a conclusion that
assumes that if 'A' occurred after 'B' then 'B' must have
caused 'A.’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRJUvFG8gbE
Circular Argument
Circular Argument: This restates the argument rather
than actually proving it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CVbku6nxhU
Ad Hominem
Ad hominem: This is an attack on the character of a
person rather than his or her opinions or arguments.
Straw Man
Straw Man: This move oversimplifies an opponent's
viewpoint and then attacks that hollow argument.
People who don't support the proposed state minimum wage increase hate the
poor.
Satire
Satire is a technique employed by writers to expose and
criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a
society by using humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule. It
intends to improve humanity by criticizing its follies and
foibles. A writer in a satire uses fictional characters, which
stand for real people, to expose and condemn their
corruption.
Example: “If this is going to be a Christian nation that
doesn’t help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus
was just as selfish as we are, or we’ve got to acknowledge that
He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy
without condition and then admit that we just don’t want to
do it.”
-Stephen Colbert - The Colbert Report
Satire Cont.
Satire and Irony- are interlinked. Irony is the difference between
what is said or done and what is actually meant. Therefore, writers
frequently employ satire to point at the dishonesty and silliness of
individuals and society and criticize them by ridiculing them.
Function of Satire
The role of satire is to ridicule or criticize those vices in society, which
the writer considers a threat to civilization. The writer considers it his
obligation to expose these vices for the betterment of humanity.
Therefore, the function of satire is not to make others laugh at persons
or ideas they make fun of. It intends to warn the public and to change
their opinions about the prevailing corruption/conditions in society.
Media Bias
(US) A political bias in journalistic reporting, in
programming selection, or otherwise in mass
communications media.
Fox News is often cited as an example of conservative media
bias, yet its viewers claim it is CNN that is guilty of liberal
media bias.
https://www.studentnewsdaily.com/types-of-media-bias/
Review and take notes over the types of media bias.