ANALYTICAL SKILLS - FALLACY OF IRRELEVANCE

G15 T1

AMELIA KOH RUI ENBERNARD LIP WEI XIANCAREL CHUA BOON YUENGERALD TAN JIAMINJEREMY ZHONG JIAHAO

ANALYTICAL SKILLS

AGENDA DEFINITION OF FALLACY

Formal Informal

3 FALLACIES OFIRRELEVANCEAPPEAL TO PITYAPPEAL TO POPULARITYARGUMENT AGAINST THE PERSON

REAL-LIFE SCENARIO

3 FALLACIES OFIRRELEVANCE

DefinitionStructureTextbook ExampleOur ExamplesExamples that SEEM LIKE Fallacies

but... are NOT

DEFINITION OF FALLACYA FALLACY IS ARGUMENT BASED ON

INVALID OR FALSE REASONING

FORMAL FALLACYINFORMAL FALLACY

FORMAL FALLACY

Argument that contains a

MISTAKE in REASONING because of its

STRUCTURE

STRUCTURE ONLYFORMAL FALLACY

If you have big juggs, then you are a girl.

P

Q

I am a girl. Therefore, I have big juggs.

Q

P

QUICK EXAMPLE of FORMAL FALLACY

INFORMAL FALLACY

Argument that contains a

MISTAKE in REASONING

BEYOND Its STRUCTURE

CONTENT-SENSITIVE

INSPECT CONTENT

FALLACY OF IRRELEVANCE

Argues from the premises that have

NO LOGICAL RELEVANCE

to the CONCLUSION

APPEAL TO

PITY

APPEAL TO

PITYFallacy in which someone tries to win support

of an argument by exploiting other people's feelings of pity.

STRUCTURE of APPEAL to PITY

STRUCTURE of APPEAL to PITY

[1] Describe a situation by appealing to people’s emotion to create PITY.

(IRRELEVANT)[2] Therefore, we should accept the

conclusion.

TEXTBOOK Example

Surely, I’m not guilty.

But if you find me guilty then...my reputation will be ruined,

I’ll lose my job and then my kids will starve.

Your Honour, I admit I declared thirteen children as dependents on my tax return although I have only

two.

Example #1Listen Carel… I know you’re angry that I

COMPLETELY IGNORED your phone calls last night.

But hey, I made you flowers. Honestly, it wasn’t easy man! It took me 3 days 2 sleepless nights. I was

attacked by King Cobras and even rolled down the hill while plucking these beautiful flowers.

Look at these wounds here man! But it’s worth it anyway.

You should forgive and make love with me now!

Example #2

Without these bouncy perky ladies by my side, your son here couldn’t type a single word.

Son: Hey Mum! What’s the big deal about me WOMANIZING around?!

Mum: You have a girlfriend damnit!

Son: You see, this $1,000,000 project had been extremely stressful and I haven’t been sleeping for 7 days

already! Things had been really hard for me. I am not used to this level of work.

Example #3Hey! Listen up Prof… Ryan Mooneh cried all night because his pet dog tore up all of his favorite P********* Magazines. Can you

imagine this happening to you!?

Therefore, you should excuse him for coming to AS lesson DEAD DRUNK.

... If Premises are RELEVANT

It is NOT A Fallacy ...

BEWARE!

Paul was forced at gunpoint to drink three gallons of stouts to save his poor old diabetic, crippled and cancerous mother who was held by the rapist that had a fetish for old woman.

Therefore you should excuse him for coming to class drunk as a skunk.

NON-FALLACY #1

Paul was forced at gunpoint to drink three gallons of stouts to save his poor old diabetic, crippled and cancerous mother who was held by the rapist that had a fetish for old woman.

Therefore you should excuse him for coming to class drunk as a skunk.

NON-FALLACY #1REASONING

Paul was forced at gunpoint to drink three gallons of stouts to save his poor old diabetic, crippled and cancerous mother who was held by the rapist that had a fetish for old woman.

Therefore you should excuse him for coming to class drunk as a skunk.

NON-FALLACY #1

JUSTIFIED

REASONING

APPEAL TO POPULARITY

argues that a claim MUST BE TRUE

because... most people believe in it

- OR -because...

most people are favorably inclined.

APPEAL TO POPULARITY

STRUCTURE of APPEAL to POPULARITY

MOST (or many or all) people believe X is true.

Therefore, X is true.

Everyone is doing X, therefore you should do X.

STRUCTURE of APPEAL to POPULARITY

BELIEF

ACTION

1

2

TEXTBOOK Example

MOST people who followed the recent American Idol TV show voted for

Kelly Clarkson.

Therefore, she must be the best singer.

Structure: Everyone is doing X, therefore you should do X.

Example #1MOST MEN that are successful in career has a beautiful and sexy woman with big bouncy jugs

rooting for them.

Therefore, you should marry a sexy lady with big bouncy jugs too.

Structure: Everyone is doing X, therefore you should do X.

EVERYBODY believes that Guinness Stout is a GOD-sent

drink from heaven that sanctifies the soul and

elevates one to the seat of god.

Therefore, it must be so.

Example #2

Structure: Everyone is doing X, therefore you

should do X.

My girlfriend is really beautiful. I so want her to be my wife.

Do you know that MOST GUYS who make 1,000 roses and gave it to their beautiful girlfriend is successful when proposing.

Therefore, you should definitely do it too.

Okay, I am so going to make 1,000 roses and get her as my wife!

Example #3Student:

Prof:

Student:

... If conclusion is drawn from the premises as a RESULT of

or SOCIAL CONVENTION

BEWARE!

POPULARITY

Manchester United FC has 659 MILLION FANS

worldwide, the most of any football club.

They must be really popular.

POPULARITY

MOST PEOPLE agree that walking up to a random stranger

and grabbing their buttocks just because ...it is warm brown and

juicy is WRONG!

SOCIAL CONVENTION

Therefore, you must keep your hands to yourself!

ARGUMENTAGAINST THE

PERSON

ARGUMENTAGAINST THE

PERSON

1 Circumstantial2

3

(argumentum ad hominem)

You Too ABUSIVE

(Tu quoque)

Argument Against the Person

Suggests that the ARGUER is

BIASED to take a particular position.

Therefore, the argument is INVALID!

(APPEAL to Motive, PERSONAL INTEREST, Arguments from motives)

Circumstantial

STRUCTURE of Argument Against the Person

Circumstantial

Because of X’s circumstances, X has a motive for arguing Z.

Therefore, X’s argument is FAULTY/FALSE

STRUCTURE of AATP (CIRCUMSTANTIAL)

TEXTBOOK Example

As a Catholic, what else would you expect him to say?

The POPE has given reasons why abortion is wrong...

But we can forget all of that.

Ryan claims that we shouldn’t discriminate guys with MOOBS because some guys are just genetically prone to developing them!

Well, look at those melons that he has!

Surely he’s saying this only because he has those two huge honkers like Mount Everest and Mount Fuji on his chest! Don’t listen to him!

Example #1

Example #2 Paul claims that

HOT SEX makes one happy and that

everyone should have HOT SEX everyday!

But he’s such a sexual deviant!

Therefore, we know that what he says most certainly

isn’t true!

Prof Mooney says that we should spend more time on AS.

We can disregard this as he is an AS prof and he has a biased interest in wanting us to focus on his subject.

Example #3

ARGUMENTAGAINST THE

PERSON

1 Circumstantial2

3

(argumentum ad hominem)

You Too ABUSIVE

(Tu quoque)

Argument Against the Person

Attacks the arguer rather than the argument itself.

(Personal ABUSE, Personal ATTACK, DAMNING the Source)

ABUSIVE

Arguer is bad ≠ His argument is bad.

The attack on the person is IRRELEVANT

to the argument made.

STRUCTURE of Argument Against the Person

ABUSIVE

There is something OBJECTIONABLE about X.

Therefore, X’s argument is FAULTY!

STRUCTURE of Argument Against the Person

ABUSIVE

TEXTBOOK Example

So, his argument that the legal system is corrupt is nonsense.

Paul is a criminal and a wife beater.

Ryan Mooneh looks like a young innocent chap

that takes his work seriously…

Therefore, you can’t take his advice on sex.

Example #1

Example #2

Therefore, his claim to be a responsible teacher who cares deeply about his students is poppycock!

Ryan drinks beer as if his liver has been touched by the hand of God and

is immune to the effects of alcohol poisoning.

Ryan slouches and I’ve caught him grinning at those girls’ bountiful

bosoms with drool coming out of the side of his mouth – he looks like an

absolute PERVERT!

Therefore, he can’t be a good accountant and as he claims and he

should be fired!

Example #3

... IF PERSONAL FLAWS of CHARACTERS ARe

LOGICALLY RELEVANTto the CONCLUSION

BEWARE!... CHARACTER COUNTS!

... NOT a FALLACY

Therefore, we shouldn’t listen to his claim to be a good father and husband.

NON-FALLACY Example

Paul is irresponsible at work and it is well known to his friends

and neighbors that he treats his family with disdain.

ARGUMENTAGAINST THE

PERSON

1 Circumstantial2

3

(argumentum ad hominem)

You Too ABUSIVE

(Tu quoque)

Argument Against the Person

(HYPOCRISY, Personal INCONSISTENCY)

You Too

Claiming that the ARGUMENT is FLAWED

by pointing out that the ARGUER is NOT ACTING

CONSISTENTLY with the claims of the argument

STRUCTURE of Argument Against the Person

YOU TOO

X Argues it is WRONG to do Z

But X does Z.

Thus X’s argument is faulty (or has a false conclusion or can be ignored).

STRUCTURE of Argument Against the Person

YOU TOO

Harry: It’s wrong to rush the train door because if everybody did so then there

would be chaos.

Larry: Nonsense! You do it ALL THE TIME!

TEXTBOOK Example

Example #1

Ryan Mooneh says it is WRONG to be boastful yet he

raves about his handsome looks every lesson.

Therefore, we know that it IS ALRIGHT to be boastful.

Therefore, we can conclude that what he says is false after all!

Example #2Ryan preaches that physical

looks aren’t all that important.

Yet he falls in love on first sight with every pretty girl

he meets.

REAL-LIFE SCENARIO

APPEAL TO

PITYAmelia, come back to me!

I have a high fever and I searched five whole estates to get you this bottle of

herbal drink.

I’m such a nice person and that’s why you should love me. LOVE MEEHHH

APPEAL TO POPULARITY

WHAT?! Why?!

I’m the most popular guy in SMU and everyone loves me.

Even more so than that guy over there.

And hey, that’s why you should love me!

Argument Against the Person

Circumstantial

Is it because of Carel?! Why are you dating Carel?

She claims to be really kind and caring. But as someone who’s dating you, of

course she would say that lah!!

And you kept saying no, NO , NO ,NO. Can’t you say anything other than ‘no’?

Argument Against the Person

ABUSIVE

Carol is such a NERD! She definitely can’t be a good lover like she claim she is.

Come back to me, Amelia!

Argument Against the Person

(HYPOCRISY, Personal INCONSISTENCY)

You Too

Carol is so full of rubbish!

You Too!

So no. But I am thirsty.

Fine. Let’s go drink some guinness stout.

THANK YOU!