Index of topics: Introduction (with fun and interesting ways to learn about logical fallacies and how to think critically); A. Definition of logical fallacy; B. How are logical fallacies classified?; C. How many logical fallacies are there?; D. Miscellaneous resources; E. Logical fallacies explained in Filipino (or using examples from the Philippines)
Fun and interesting ways to learn about logical fallacies and how to think critically:
This exercise asks you to deliberately use logical fallacies in pleading with your professor not to fail you. “Cranky Uncle” (free game for smartphones that will teach you how to think critically in answering objections by people who deny the science of climate change) |
The essence of editorial writing and column writing is expressing opinions, perspectives, arguments, and viewpoints on current events and social issues. But opinions, perspectives, arguments, and viewpoints must be based on facts or evidence and expressed logically. It’s thus important for you, as participants in the editorial writing and column writing contests, to know what “logical fallacies” are because they invalidate your opinions, arguments, and conclusions.
A. Definition of “logical fallacies”
From “Guide to the Most Common Logical Fallacies”:
Logical fallacies are flaws in reasoning that weaken or invalidate an argument. Whether they’re used intentionally or unintentionally, they can be quite persuasive. Learning how to identify fallacies is an excellent way to avoid being fooled or manipulated by faulty arguments. It will also help you avoid making fallacious arguments yourself!
From “15 Logical Fallacies to Know, With Definitions and Examples”:
A logical fallacy is an argument that can be disproven through reasoning. This is different from a subjective argument or one that can be disproven with facts; for a position to be a logical fallacy, it must be logically flawed or deceptive in some way.
From “How to recognize logical fallacies and editorializing in the media you consume”:
A common theme has stood out: when emotions run high, so do logical fallacies.
A logical fallacy is an error in reasoning that undermines your argument, and typically alienates any in your audience who disagree with you. It’s a way of reinforcing your bias, and ensuring that your message will be received only by the choir of like-minded individuals. It’s a smug nod to the people who agree with you: Look at how clever and piercing my prose is, don’t look at how I have failed to substantiate any of my claims.
The readers of the news must hold the writers accountable. Bias is inevitable in journalism. Anyone claiming to be unbiased lacks self awareness. However, people with a bias can still respect the rules of logic in presenting an argument, and uphold the principles of solid journalism.
[Emphasis by boldfacing supplied]
From “Master List of Logical Fallacies”:
Fallacies are fake or deceptive arguments, "junk cognition," that is, arguments that seem irrefutable but prove nothing. Fallacies often seem superficially sound and they far too often retain immense persuasive power even after being clearly exposed as false. Like epidemics, fallacies sometimes "burn through" entire populations, often with the most tragic results, before their power is diminished or lost. Fallacies are not always deliberate, but a good scholar’s purpose is always to identify and unmask fallacies in arguments.
From Wikipedia:
A fallacy is the use of invalid or otherwise faulty reasoning in the construction of an argument. All forms of human communication can contain fallacies.
The use of fallacies is common when the speaker’s goal of achieving common agreement is more important to them than utilizing sound reasoning. When fallacies are used, the premise should be recognized as not well-grounded, the conclusion as unproven (but not necessarily false), and the argument as unsound.
From Wikipedia:
Because of their variety, fallacies are challenging to classify. They can be classified by their structure (formal fallacies) or content (informal fallacies). Informal fallacies, the larger group, may then be subdivided into categories such as improper presumption, faulty generalization, and error in assigning causation and relevance, among others.
From “Fallacies” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy):
In modern fallacy studies it is common to distinguish formal and informal fallacies. Formal fallacies are those readily seen to be instances of identifiable invalid logical forms such as undistributed middle and denying the antecedent. Although many of the informal fallacies are also invalid arguments, it is generally thought to be more profitable, from the points of view of both recognition and understanding, to bring their weaknesses to light through analyses that do not involve appeal to formal languages. For this reason it has become the practice to eschew the symbolic language of formal logic in the analysis of these fallacies; hence the term ‘informal fallacy’ has gained wide currency.
From “Fallacy” (Brittanica):
An argument may be fallacious in three ways: in its material content, through a misstatement of the facts; in its wording, through an incorrect use of terms; or in its structure (or form), through the use of an improper process of inference. As shown in the diagram, fallacies are correspondingly classified as (1) material, (2) verbal, and (3) formal. Groups 2 and 3 are called logical fallacies, or fallacies “in discourse,” in contrast to the substantive, or material, fallacies of group 1, called fallacies “in matter”; and groups 1 and 2, in contrast to group 3, are called informal fallacies.
C. How many logical fallacies are there?
The article “Master List of Logical Fallacies” enumerates 146 fallacies. On the other hand, the article “Fallacies” (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy) says that there are more than 230 fallacies.
D. Miscellaneous resources:
How Journalists Use Logical Fallacies
9 Logical Fallacies Used by Opinion Writers
Fake News: Common Logical Fallacies
Fake News & Fallacious Reasoning: What is fake news and where is it found?
Fallacies and journalistic rhetoric
Logical Fallacies in Writing
News & Views — Name the Logical Fallacy: COVID-19 Edition
Guide to the Most Common Logical Fallacies
How to recognize logical fallacies and editorializing in the media you consume
E. Logical fallacies explained in Filipino (or using examples from the Philippines)
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