CS 100 - Week 7 Lecture 1 - 10-2-12

*   yes, an argument CAN contain multiple logical
    fallacies;
 
*   some distinguishing features between "look who's talking"
    and "2 wrongs make a right"

    ..."look who's talking" always involves a charge of
    hypocrisy or failing to practice what one preaches;

    ..."2 wrongs make a right" always involves attempting
     to justify an apparent wrongful act

Scare Tactics
--------------
*   the fallacy of scare tactics is committed when the
    arguer threatens harm to a reader or listener
    if he/she does not accept the arguer's conclusion,
    AND this threat is irrelevant to the truth of the
    arguer's conclusion.

Appeal to Pity
--------------
*   the fallacy of appeal to pity occurs when an arguer
    inappropriately to evoke feelings of pity or compassion
    from the listeners/readers AND this appeal is
    irrelevant to the truth of the arguer's conclusion.

Bandwagon argument
------------------
*   a bandwagon argument in one that plays on a person's
    desire to be popular, accepted, valued, cool, etc.
    RATHER than appealing to logically relevant reasons or
    evidence

Straw Man
---------
*   the straw man fallacy is committed when an arguer
    distorts an opponent's argument or claim to make
    it easier to attack,
    they give premises again this distorted claim that
    ISN'T the actual opponent's claim,
    and then claim their premises against the distorted
    claim are reasons to reject the opponent's actual claim.

*   ALWAYS involves misrepresenting another person's
    argument or claim

Red Herring
-----------
*   the red herring fallacy is committed when an arguer
    tries to sidetrack his/her audience by raising an
    irrelevant issue and then claims that the original
    issue has been effectively settled by the irrelevant
    diversion

    BUT it hasn't been, really, because the diversion
    was indeed not supportive one way or the other
    to the original argument;

*   ALWAYS involves changing or evading the issue

Equivocation
-------------
*   words CAN have more than one meaning;

*   the fallacy of equivocation is committed when a key word
    is used in two or more senses in the same argument
    AND the apparent success of the argument depends on
    that SHIFT in meaning;

Begging the question
---------------------
*   the fallacy of begging the question is committed when
    an arguer states or assumes as a premise the
    very thing he/she is trying to prove as a conclusion.

*   two common forms:
    ...just restate the conclusion a little differently
       as a premise;
    ...you circularly reason to it;