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Lecture 11 Informal Fallacies: Genetic, Ad Hominem, Ad Populam What Lecture 11 What are ‘informal Informal fallacies: fallacies’? Genetic, Ad Hominem, Ad Populam Common errors of reasoning where the problem is not a 1. What are ‘informal fallacies’? formal problem 2. First three fallacies Often related to patterns of reasoning that are not problematic 3. Further examples Genetic Fallacy Genetic Fallacy Did you see the governor’s plan The genetic fallacy is committed for bolstering the economy? Most when someone attempts to people don’t know this, but this criticize an argument or view or plan is from Sun Tzu’s The Art of theory not by dealing with it War. I don’t think it would be a directly, but by citing its (perhaps good idea to plan our economy questionable) origin. according to ideas from a book about war. Genetic Fallacy Ad Hominem I’ve noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been This fallacy is committed when born. (Ronald Reagan) the arguer ignores the merits of his/her opponent's argument, and rather makes some reference to Most of the support for tax cuts the arguer himself/herself, and for higher tax brackets comes assumes that this somehow from people who are wealthy. So discredits the argument. clearly we should oppose these cuts. Ad Hominem: Ad Hominem: Abusive Abusive When the arguer verbally abuses Principal Smith: I think your child his/her opponent, rather than should be held back a grade. He is addressing their argument. younger than his classmates, and the material seems to be a bit too advanced for him. Parent: Screw you! You fascist dip shit! Ad Hominem: Ad Hominem Abusive Circumstantial Pete: Have you read the new book When the arguer, rather than by Amanda Hugginkiss? addressing their opponent's argument, merely points out that their opponent's circumstances Rick: Are you kidding? She's may be influencing their position. dumber than a box of wet hammers. Ad Hominem Ad Hominem Circumstantial Circumstantial I know that the administrator said Senator Kaholic had argued that filling out all these forms was persuasively in favor of federal crucial to obtaining financial subsidies for dairy products. But support for the university. But the Senator comes from Wisconsin, these forms take a lot of time. Of which has a huge dairy industry. So course an administrator wants of course she would argue for that there to be more paperwork. position. Therefore, it seems Without more forms to process, reasonable to vote the subsidies they'd all be out of work. down. Ad Hominem Ad Hominem Tu Quoque Tu Quoque When A argues that some activity Parent: You shouldn't smoke, it's is wrong, and B responds by bad for your health. merely pointing out that A executes that activity him/ Smart-ass child: Dad, you herself. hypocrite! You smoke 3 packs a day! Ad Hominem Ad Populam Tu Quoque When arguer appeals to Editors of the Sacramento Bee bandwagoning, snobbery, or fear have accused our company of of being different than the being one of the worst water majority in order to influence the polluters. But the Bee is arguee. responsible for more pollution than we are. They own Axis Chemicals, from whom they get their ink, and dumps tons of chemicals into the river every day. Ad Populam Ad Populam Bandwaggoning Snobbery Only the ultimate in fashion could 20 million people own a Ford. complement the face of Elizabeth Maybe they know something you Hurley. Spectrum Sunglasses -- don't. for the beautiful people. Ruffles: America's best-selling Tonight, a special episode of ER chip. that everyone will be talking about tomorrow. Governor Ventura has argued that The Japanese have claimed that we should provide free health our import restrictions on cars care for the poor. But Ventura will and steel are protectionist and do anything to get his name in the threaten a trade war. What paper, which is no doubt why he hypocrites! The Japanese use is making these arguments. So we hundreds of schemes to block should not take his position import of dozens of products, seriously. including computers, cars and fruit! So it is OK if we have import restrictions too. Benson: Don’t you think you’re A: Hey, you should sign our Save too young to be President? The Planet initiative. Quayle: I’m the same age as Jack B: Get bent, do-gooder! Kennedy. Benson: I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mind. You, Senator, are no Jack Kennedy. A letter to the editor in today’s paper claimed that the Governor’s plan to keep developers away from the forests in the northern part of the state was drafted by the Sierra Club. But actually the plan was initially proposed by the logging industry, who probably wants to exploit the region for their own interests. So the plan must be bad for the environment..
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