PHIL 150 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4, D-E: False Dilemma, Fallacy, Begging
10 May 2018
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Logic Reading Notes
Chapter 4 (D-E)
D. Fallacies of Unwarranted Assumption or Diversion
Fallacies of unwarranted assumption – assume the truth of some unproved or questionable claim
15. Begging the Question: In one type, the fallacy occurs when a premise is simply reworded in
the conclusion
o In a second type, called circular reasoning, a set of statements seem to support each other
with no clear beginning or end point
o In a third type, the argument assumes certain key information that be controversial or is
not supported by fact
16. Fallacy of Complex Question: The fallacy occurs when a single question actually contains
multiple parts and an unestablished hidden assumption
17. Appeal to Ignorance: An argument built on a position of ignorance claims either that 1) a
statement must be true because it has not been proven to be false or 2) a statement must be false
because it has not been proven to be true
18. Appeal to an Unqualified Authority: An argument that relies on the opinions of people who
either have no expertise, training, or knowledge relevant to the issue at hand, or whose testimony
is not trustworthy
o Ex: when experts endorse a product and receive monetary compensation for their product
endorsement
19. False Dichotomy: A fallacy that occurs when a it is assumed that only 2 choices are possible,
when in fact others exist
o Fallacy can make an argument unsound, but the argument can still be valid
Fallacies of diversion occurs when meanings of terms/phrases are changes within an argument or
when our attention is diverted from the issue at hand
20. Equivocation: The fallacy occurs when the conclusion of an argument relies on an intentional
or unintentional shift in the meaning of a term or phrase in the premises
21. Straw Man: The fallacy occurs when someone’s argument is misrepresented to create a new
argument that can be easily refuted
o The new argument is so weak that it is made of straw
o The arguer then falsely claims that his opponent’s real argument has been defeated
22. Red Herring: A fallacy that occurs when someone completely ignores an opponent’s position
and changes the subject, diverting the discussion in a new direction
23. Misleading Precision: A claim that appears to be statistically significant but is not
24. Missing the Point: When premises that seem to lead logically to one conclusion are used
instead to support an unexpected conclusion
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Document Summary
Chapter 4 (d-e: fallacies of unwarranted assumption or diversion. Fallacies of unwarranted assumption assume the truth of some unproved or questionable claim. Fallacy of complex question: the fallacy occurs when a single question actually contains multiple parts and an unestablished hidden assumption. False dichotomy: a fallacy that occurs when a it is assumed that only 2 choices are possible, when in fact others exist: fallacy can make an argument unsound, but the argument can still be valid. Fallacies of diversion occurs when meanings of terms/phrases are changes within an argument or when our attention is diverted from the issue at hand or unintentional shift in the meaning of a term or phrase in the premises. Equivocation: the fallacy occurs when the conclusion of an argument relies on an intentional. Straw man: the fallacy occurs when someone"s argument is misrepresented to create a new: the arguer then falsely claims that his opponent"s real argument has been defeated.
