Arguments when done with level-headed people can be healthy. However, that’s not the case most of the time. People tend to run out of ideas and turn to false reasoning and assumptions so they could win the argument. Most of these false arguments have no value but if the listener deems them worthy enough, they are accepted. The key to see through these false reasonings is to understand what they are.
These false assumptions or reasonings are called logical fallacies. They are done in everyday speech and can be done intentionally or unintentionally. The best time to start recognising these fallacies is from university years onwards as these are the best years to train minds to discuss and exchange ideas. Honing critical thinking skills can teach us to find flawed reasoning from the classroom and then carry the skill throughout our lives. Here are some of the most commonly used
fallacies in arguments that people should know.
The Circular Argument
Have you ever been in a discussion with someone and felt that her argument has no point?
There’s a possibility that she was using the circular argument. Basically, a person
just repeats what was said before, reworded or not and doesn’t touch on the topic being
argued.
The Slippery Slope
This fallacy happens when someone takes a simple argument to the extreme. It’s also known as the domino theory because just like the fall of one domino piece making another fall- a little action becomes bigger when all dominoes in line begin to fall one after the other. Imagine a child trying to ask permission from her parents to go out with friends. She might say that all of her friends won’t like her anymore, isolate her in school and in extreme circumstances, she'd probably say that she could die from that. This is how the fallacy sounds like.
The False Dilemma
When an argument escalates, sometimes the person arguing leaves the other with only two choices. Something like ‘you are either with me or against me’. This can be unfair because not every situation has a true or false option. There can be another option where the first two options can have equal give and take.
Appeal To Authority
Imagine someone arguing about a point and then reinforcing their statement with ‘Because this person said so.’ This fallacy has been abused numerous of times. A person decides to not apply logic to whatever is being argued with her own points. Instead, she tries to win by using the name of someone with authority or influence who shares the same views.
The Strawman & Ad Hominem Fallacy
These two fallacies are always used together. The strawman fallacy happens when a person rephrases someone’s argument in a weaker statement and then attacks that statement. The ad hominem fallacy occurs when an argument becomes invalidated by attacking someone personally. Think of it this way; a woman is trying to suggest having fried chicken for dinner. The person who opposes this, instead of the simple 'NO' or suggesting an alternative, decides to criticize her craving for fried foods and comments on her body weight. These two fallacies are easy ways out of an argument but they are also unethical and rude.
There are many more kinds of fallacies that people should be aware of. Perhaps after learning and understanding what they are, they can stop unconsciously using fallacies in their everyday lives. Remember, in an argument, it is important to stay ethical and level-headed.
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