Circular reasoning

The circular reasoning is when the support given for a contention merely restates the contention. 

An example of this is, "Investing in the stock market is dangerous for short-term investors because it is unsafe." 

An example that applies to us as students would be, "Buying used books is cheaper for students because it is less money."



Circular reasoning is unfair in persuasion because you aren't giving a clear reason of why a certain statement is true.  You are just describing a statement twice which does not allow your audience to understand your point.  Also it has been used as a way to get around answering certain questions.  Many politicians use this to get around hard questions asked by the public or the press.  Which brings up another example, "Only an untrustworthy person would run for office.  The fact that politicians are untrustworthy is proof of this."

Alexandra Kerr - Section 11

Anonymous Authority

Greenberg, 2011

 This type of fallacy (Anonymous Authority) is misleading because it is not confirmed whether or not the authority is an expert.  Appealing to rumours is another version of this fallacy because the source of the information is also unknown. A valid authority is one that is not just credible but can be verified. 

For example, many financial analysts believe that the American stock market during the Occupy Wall street Protests will plummet.  However, who were the financial analysts and how could their information be verified? 

Revision: McLean & Partners Edward Friedman believe that the decline in stocks will result from businesses receiving negative press from Occupy Wall street protesters. 


About.com. (n.d.). Logical Fallacies: About.com. Retrieved from About.com: http://atheism.about.com/od/logicalfallacies/a/authority_4.htm
 (http://www.fallacies.ca/an


How to prevent using the Anonymous Authority Fallacy

Avoiding Anonymous Authority is difficult because when we justify our evidence, we often use vague words and vague recollection to justify our source of information.  So the best solution is to verify the source and qualifications of the “experts.”



Test Your Understanding
Click the link below and take the quiz on logical fallacy.
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz2814762039ae8.html

Straw Man Fallacy

(Lietha, 2009)

 

The straw man fallacy is when a person or organization projects positions onto another person or organization and then attacks those ideas they created. The name straw man is because the attacker in essence creates a false image or "straw man" that they then try to counter. This method of persuasion is unethical because people are persuaded to take the attackers side because of lies that were implied about the opposition. For example, the statement that people who are against abortion don't respect women's rights to their bodies, and women should have the right to choose. This example brings up a point that is not stated by the opposition and then refutes that point, leaving the listener with the false impression that the opposition doesn't agree with women's rights. The Straw Man fallacy is used often because of peoples tendency to assume.

Lietha, D. (Artist). (2009). Retrieved from http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2009/09/28/logical-fallacies-straw-man

Begging the Question...

Begging the question occurs when some discussion takes place regarding any question. For eg
(1).Some people believe if we have firm believe in god, then he blesses you with wealth and power, keeps you away from sufferings. In other words, the wealthy people never have to face sufferings in their lives. But what if they get seriously attack by some disease or other enviromental problem like earthquake or tsunami. Though they have big houses and suffer more than other ordinary people.

(2).Some people believe that god exists only because it is written in bible and they argue about thhis universal truth whether He really exists or it is a myth.They says, they dont have any proof but consider God's existence only because it is written in bible.
      
  Begging the question is like unsound argument related to complex questions.Other examples-
(3).Sam to Chelsy outside the Super Club
Sam- Why there is always huge waiting line outside this club.
Chelsy-There is a big demand because evryone wants to get in them.
                                                     In other words there is a big demand because there is a big demand.
Thus, she meant that high demand is due to the high demand.This one awnser arises another question that have the same awnser with same meaning.

(4).I said I am always right, because as i said it must be right.Conclusion I am right. But this statement fails to give any proof that I am right.

ETHICAL PERSUASION

Three Phases Of Ethical Persuasion

False Dilemma

This is the instance in which a dilemma is given, but in reality there is a third (or more) option(s).
A false dilemma is unethical because it is prohibiting the receiver from having all of the actual options available to him or her.  It is like saying to someone, "you can only have Pepsi or Coke."  Well, there's obviously more sodas than just Pepsi or Coke.  Even for cola examples, throw all of the no-name brands aside, you still have RC Cola which could be thrown into the mix.  In a business aspect, you see it all the time in electronics sales.  They give you only two options; the latest and greatest that has all the specs, but also the biggest price tag (or as they call it, the best "value"), and the almost-obsolete-model that is there, but they advise you really shouldn't buy it because it's a piece of junk.  There are usually tons of alternatives in these, especially when it comes to computers.

Can you think of any other examples where you would see a false dilemma?