The Fallacy Series: Tips for Thinking Critically 3

What is a Fallacy anyways? And what does it have to do with critical thinking?

Mr. Jones attempting to replace an idol. Ultimately, he fails to succeed.

Logical Fallacies “is an error in reasoning” as World Book explains, “Many fallacies appear persuasive and may lead people to false conclusions.” Fallacies often appear in arguments all over the internet on social media and in campaign ads on your television. Fallacies show a lack of logic and keep conversations from coming to a common understanding. They are also poor, or invalid, in reasoning. They are meant to portray an argument that appears to be sound or coherent but are not. However, if an argument is fallacious, this does not necessarily mean that it is out write false.

Corpus Aristotelicum

Fallacies, from what we have in recorded history, start with Aristotle’s (384 BCE – 322BCE) take on “Sophistical Refutations”. He starts by asserting that some arguments only appear to be sound and congruent when really there is more (or less) than what meets the eye. He gives an example by stating that some objects “made of yellow metal look golden.” While some arguments appear to be genuine, there is sometimes a layer of brass surrounding it. A good way to tell the differences between sound arguments and fallacious arguments may come only through experience. For instance, if some people are not familiar with gold, they would assume that the object of their desire is made out of gold, when, in reality, it is only made from yellow metals.

In my future posts, I will discuss some of these yellow metals that appear to be gold, and will show real life examples in modern times or in times of antiquity of fallacious reasoning. Remember, things are not always what they appear to be.