Fallacies

2007-03-29

“These pages provide information about a variety of informal fallacies.
Put roughly, a fallacy is a mistake in reasoning.”.
(Michael C. LaBossiere)
For example:

Appeal to Common Practice

“If what is moral is determined by what is commonly practiced, then this argument:

  • Most people do X.
  • Therefore X is morally correct.

would not be a fallacy. This would however entail some odd results.

For example, imagine that there are only 100 people on earth.
60 of them do not steal or cheat and 40 do.
At this time, stealing and cheating would be wrong.

The next day, a natural disaster kills 30 of the 60 people who do not cheat or steal.
Now it is morally correct to cheat and steal.

Thus, it would be possible to change the moral order of the world to one’s view simply by eliminating those who disagree.”.

Reasoning: Fallacies, by Michael C. LaBossiere, from Opifex Phoenix.

Extract reproduced under ©Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere.

Categories : psychology