Fallacies (Methods of Philosophizing)
Summary
TLDRIn this educational video, Anna introduces viewers to the art of argumentation and fallacies in philosophy. She explains that arguments are meant to persuade through reason, not aggression, and contrasts them with fights. Anna then delves into the concept of fallacies, illustrating common types such as ad hominem, ad baculum, ad misericordium, and others, which rely on faulty reasoning. The video aims to equip viewers with the ability to identify and avoid these logical pitfalls, enhancing critical thinking and the quality of discourse.
Takeaways
- 😀 Welcome to the video! Today's topic is about arguments and fallacies, a key area under the methods of philosophizing.
- 🧐 An argument is defined as a series of statements that provide reasons to convince a reader or listener that an opinion is truthful. It's different from fighting, which is more about expressing anger without logical reasoning.
- 🧠 Logic is the branch of philosophy that focuses on the analysis of arguments, ensuring they are based on sound reasoning rather than faulty logic.
- ❌ Fallacies are arguments based on faulty reasoning. They violate the rules of logical thought but often appear convincing.
- 🚫 An 'ad hominem' fallacy attacks a person rather than their argument, focusing on personal characteristics instead of evidence.
- ⚠️ An 'ad baculum' fallacy uses threats or force to advance an argument, pressuring others through fear rather than reason.
- 🙏 The 'ad misericordiam' fallacy appeals to pity or emotion to persuade, relying on sympathy rather than logical evidence.
- 👥 'Ad populum' is a fallacy that appeals to the popularity of a belief as evidence of its truth, assuming something is true because many people believe it.
- 📜 The 'appeal to tradition' fallacy assumes an idea is correct simply because it has been traditionally accepted, without examining its current relevance or validity.
- 🔄 'Circular reasoning' or 'begging the question' occurs when an argument's conclusion is assumed in its premises, providing no real evidence and merely restating the conclusion.
Q & A
What is an argument according to the video?
-An argument is defined as a series of statements that provide reasons to convince a reader or listener that an opinion is truthful. It is made with the assumption that a certain claim is yet to be determined.
How does the video distinguish between arguing and fighting?
-The video explains that arguing involves using reason and logic to come to an agreement, whereas fighting is about expressing anger or hurt without sensitivity to the choice of words. Arguing can resolve conflicts, while fighting usually exacerbates them.
What branch of philosophy focuses on the analysis of arguments?
-The branch of philosophy that focuses on the analysis of arguments is Logic.
What are fallacies, and how do they relate to logic?
-Fallacies are arguments based on faulty reasoning. In the context of logic, they are like fouls or violations in a sport because they violate the rules of logical thought, even though they might seem plausible or convincing.
What is the ad hominem fallacy, and can you provide an example?
-Ad hominem is a fallacy where the argument focuses on attacking the person instead of the argument or evidence. An example is: 'Why would I believe you? You're not even the smartest person in our section.'
What is the ad misericordium fallacy, and what does it appeal to?
-Ad misericordium, or appeal to pity, is a fallacy that strongly appeals to sympathy and emotion. For example, a student might say, 'Ma'am, please accept my late submission of modules. I spent the last 5 days with only 4 hours of sleep each day.'
Can you explain the fallacy of appeal to tradition with an example?
-The fallacy of appeal to tradition assumes that something is right because it has been done a certain way for a long time. For example, 'Courtship is necessary and should always be done before entering into a relationship because that is the tradition in the Philippines.'
What is the slippery slope fallacy, and how does it exaggerate outcomes?
-The slippery slope fallacy assumes that a small action will lead to extreme outcomes. For instance, 'If we allow our 16-year-old to have her first boyfriend, what's next, a baby?' This fallacy exaggerates the expected outcome of a small initial action.
What is the fallacy of composition, and how does it differ from the fallacy of division?
-The fallacy of composition assumes that what is true of a part is true for the whole, e.g., 'Because all components of this car are light and easy to carry, the car itself must also be light and easy to carry.' In contrast, the fallacy of division assumes that what is true for the whole is true for its parts, e.g., 'The boys in our neighborhood like to play volleyball, so my new neighbor Jacob would surely like to play volleyball too.'
Why is it important to detect and avoid fallacies in arguments?
-Understanding and detecting fallacies is important because it enriches the quality of discussions and helps in making the right decisions. Fallacies are based on faulty reasoning, and even if they seem convincing, they violate the rules of logical thought.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Arguments and Fallacies
Anna welcomes viewers back to the channel and introduces the topic of arguments and fallacies in philosophy. She emphasizes the difference between arguments, which are meant to convince through reason, and fighting, which involves expressing anger without logical structure. Anna then poses a question to the audience about the branch of philosophy that deals with argument analysis, revealing 'logic' as the correct answer. She also introduces the concept of fallacies, which are arguments based on faulty reasoning that may seem plausible but violate logical thought rules.
🤔 Common Fallacies in Argumentation
This paragraph delves into various types of fallacies, starting with ad hominem, where the person is attacked rather than the argument. Anna provides examples for each fallacy, including ad baculum (appeal to force), ad misericordium (appeal to pity), ad populum (appeal to the majority), and ad verecundium (appeal to authority). She explains how these fallacies manipulate the audience's emotions or rely on the authority of an individual without substantial evidence, thus misleading them.
🔍 Detecting Logical Fallacies in Everyday Arguments
Anna continues to describe additional fallacies such as appeal to tradition, begging the question, fallacy of composition, fallacy of division, post hoc (cause and effect), and slippery slope. Each fallacy is explained with an example to illustrate how they work and why they are flawed. She stresses the importance of recognizing these fallacies to avoid being deceived by seemingly convincing but logically unsound arguments.
🛡️ The Importance of Logical Argumentation
In the final paragraph, Anna challenges viewers to identify fallacies in articles or social media statements, encouraging critical thinking and the detection of faulty reasoning. She reflects on the importance of being aware of fallacies to maintain the quality of discussions and make informed decisions. Anna concludes the lesson with a quote from George Bernard Shaw about the dangers of selective belief in arguments and thanks viewers for watching, wishing them well.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Arguments
💡Fallacies
💡Ad Hominem
💡Ad Baculum
💡Ad Misericordiam
💡Ad Populum
💡Ad Verecundiam
💡Appeal to Tradition
💡Begging the Question
💡Slippery Slope
Highlights
Introduction to the topic of arguments and fallacies in philosophy.
Invitation to subscribe and engage with the channel for more educational content.
Definition of an argument as a series of statements providing reasons to support a claim.
Differentiation between arguments and fighting, emphasizing the importance of reason and logic in arguments.
Identification of logic as the branch of philosophy that focuses on the analysis of arguments.
Explanation of fallacies as arguments based on faulty reasoning that may seem plausible but violate logical thought.
Description of the ad hominem fallacy, which involves attacking the person rather than the argument.
Illustration of the ad baculum fallacy, using threats or force to advance an argument.
Example of the ad misericordiam fallacy, appealing to pity or emotion to persuade.
Discussion of the ad populum fallacy, where popularity is used as a reason for the truth of a claim.
Explanation of the ad verecundium fallacy, relying on the authority of an expert without additional evidence.
Introduction of the appeal to tradition fallacy, assuming that something is right because it has been done traditionally.
Definition of begging the question fallacy, where the conclusion is assumed without evidence.
Description of the fallacy of composition, assuming that what is true for a part is true for the whole.
Explanation of the fallacy of division, assuming that what is true for the whole is true for its parts.
Illustration of the post hoc fallacy, attributing causality based on the sequence of events.
Discussion of the slippery slope fallacy, assuming a small action will lead to extreme outcomes.
Emphasis on the importance of detecting and avoiding fallacies to make informed decisions and enrich discussions.
Assignment to find and identify fallacies in articles or social media statements as a learning exercise.
Conclusion of the lesson with a quote by George Bernard Shaw about the dangers of selective belief.
Closing remarks and sign-off, encouraging viewers to stay safe and engage with the channel.
Transcripts
hi everyone it's been a while
i'm anna and welcome to our channel
if you're returning welcome back so for
today's video lessons
we're going to talk about
arguments
and fallacies
if you are interested to learn more
about this
then continue watching by the way
don't forget to like and subscribe to
our channel
and hit the bell notification to see
more of our videos
so come on and let's learn another topic
under the methods of philosophizing
but first let's have a recap
from the last video i've mentioned about
arguments and can you still recall
what is meant by arguments
from the last video i mentioned about
arguments
which is defined as a series of
statements
which provides reasons
that convince a reader or a listener
that an opinion is truthful
an argument is made with the assumption
that
a certain claim is yet to be determined
argument is not the same as fighting
because fighting is all about expressing
anger or hurt without being sensitive to
your choice of words
so if you don't know how to argue
with reason and logic then that is what
you call
fighting however an
argument is all about coming into
an agreement argument
if you know how to do it right can
resolve
conflicts or differences
well fighting usually makes them worse
now my question is which do you think
is the branch of philosophy
which focuses on the analysis of
arguments
if logic is your answer
then you are correct
now there are a number of arguments
that are based on faulty reasoning
this kind of arguments are called
fallacies if logic
was a sport then fallacies
would be the fouls or the violations
fallacies violate the rules of logical
thought but often seem plausible or
convincing
here are the commonly heard fallacies
so let's start with ad
hominem
or against the person
the characteristics of ad hominem
are attacking the person and
the focus uh it focuses
our attention on people rather than on
arguments or evidence
why would i believe you you're not even
the smartest person
in our section
so in this example the individual
attacks the person and not the opinion
or his or her opinion
next fallacy is add
bakulum
or appeal to force
the characteristic of add loom is
using threat or force or
an undesirable event to advance
an argument so for example
my father is known to be the richest man
in this town
i'm sure you know what he is capable of
don't should there mess up with me
so in this example the individual
threatens the person
if ever he or she messed up
with him the next fallacy is
which is actually common
is add misericordium
this is very common
add misery cordium or appeal
to pt
pity or emotion
so from the word misery it means
it appeals to pity so it so
it suggests a strong appeal
to sympathy and pt
so for example ma'am please
accept my late submission of modules
i spent the last 5 days with
4 hours of sleep each day
working extra time on it so please ma'am
accept it
that is an example of ad misericordia
so in this example the student tries to
convince a teacher
through appealing to his or her or to
the teacher's
emotion the next one
is ad papalum
or appeal
to the people
in ad populum the idea presented
must be true because many or most people
believe it for example
you should turn to channel six it's the
most
watched channel this year in this
example
many people watch channel 6.
therefore you also have to watch it
next is add virikundium
or appeal to
authority
the characteristic of advercundium
is insisting that a claim is true
simply because a valid authority or
expert on the issue said it was true
without
any other supporting evidence offered
example ufos
do not exist because
carl sagan or sagan said it
so carl sagan is a famous astronomer
so you have to believe him so even
without
any other supporting ideas or evidence
the person convinces you to believe
in him or her because of the authority
he mentioned
another fallacy is appeal
the tradition
appeal to tradition assumed
that the idea is acceptable because
something has been done a certain way
for a long time
or traditionally so it is necessarily
the right way of doing it
example courtship is necessary
and should always be done before
entering into relationship
because that is the first step
in showing or telling how
men loves and respects
the woman and her family
so this is an example of appeal to
tradition
because here in the philippines it is
our
tradition that the man should court
the woman before marriage or before
entering into
a serious relationship
another fallacy is begging
the question
begging the question simply accepts the
conclusion without providing real
evidence the argument either relies on a
premise
that says the same thing as a conclusion
which you might hear referred to
as being circular or circular
reasoning or simply ignores an important
but questionable assumption that the
argument
rests on example i have the right to
free speech
so you cannot stop me from talking
next fallacy is fallacy
of composition
fallacy of composition assumes
that what is true of a part is
true for the whole example
because all of the components of this
car are light and easy to carry
then the car itself must also be
light and easy to carry
so you assume that since
the parts are light and easy
so is the car as a whole
next one is fallacy of division
fallacy of division assumes
that what is true for the whole is
true for its parts so it is
the opposite of the fallacy of
composition
example the boys in our neighborhood
like to play volleyball so
my new neighbor jacob
would surely like to play volleyball
with them you assume
that your new neighbor jacob
will also love to play volleyball
so what is true for the whole may also
be true
to its parts
now the next one is
past hawk
or post hoc
ergo propter
or in english cause an effect
this one simply means that one
event is said to be the cause of a later
event simply because it occurred
earlier example ever since
you bought that bag everything has been
going wrong
in your life this post it
that may be the reason why you are
unhappy
so in the example the cause there is the
back
and the effect is the unhappiness of the
person
another famous fallacy is
the slippery slope
the characteristic of the slippery slope
is
assuming a very small action will lead
to
extreme outcomes
example if we allow our 16 year old
to have her first boyfriend
what's next a baby
as i mentioned in the example
the parents either the mother or the
father
assumes that having a boyfriend
will lead to pregnancy there is an
exaggeration of the expected outcome
so these are the fallacies
that we frequently hear each day
and maybe you're also using that in
order to persuade
the other person to believe in you
don't be deceived by a seemingly
plausible
ideas you might fall into their trap
so watch out remember
understanding that some arguments may
contain
fallacies is one of the great marks
of a well-educated mind and it greatly
enriches the quality of discussions
being able to detect them and
avoid them will surely help the person
in making the right decision
take note these are
examples of fallacies
that is they are based on faulty
reasoning
no matter how good they may seem to
appear they still violate
the rules of logical thought so
don't argue by using this
fallacies argue with
reason and logic as an activity
i want you to look for an article
or any statements from the social media
and detect or determine whether the
statement or the argument
is a type of fallacy and what
kind of fallacy is that
i hope through this lesson he'll be able
to determine or to
distinguish which is a fallacy
or not i want you to reflect
on this the moment we want to believe
something we suddenly see all the
arguments for
it and become blind to the arguments
against it by george
bernard shaw
that's so that's it i hope you have
learned something from our lesson
i want to see you again next time thanks
for watching
god bless everyone stay safe and
[Music]
[Applause]
bye
you
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