In addition to learning the fallacies of logic, students would benefit from learning the following terms.
1. Ambiguity and Equivocation
Expressions that are not clear because they have more than one meaning. An "ambiguous"
expression: "They are entertaining guests." It is uncertain to the
reader whether "entertaining" is an adjective or a verb. An "equivocal"
expression: If a columnist argued that the President played an important role
in arms control negotiations, then two paragraphs later, accused him of merely
playing a role, the columnist would be equivocating.
2. Cogent
Cogent is an adjective meaning appealing to the intellect or powers of reasoning.
A cogent argument is one that is convincing by virtue or forcible, clear or
incisive presentation.
3. Deductive Reasoning
A process in which a conclusion follows necessarily from the premises presented,
so that the conclusion cannot be false if the premises are true.
4. Fallacy
Flaws in reasoning that lead to illogical statements because they are based
on a false or invalid reference.
5. Inductive Reasoning
The conclusion, though supported by the premises, does not follow from them
necessarily. Going from particular facts and details to generalizations.
6. Premise
A proposition supporting or helping to support a conclusion.
7. Self-contradiction
When two premises are used that cannot simultaneously be true: "Only when
nuclear weapons have finally destroyed us will we be convinced of the need to
control them." This statement is self-contradictory in that no one will
be around to be convinced after everyone has been destroyed.
8. Specious
A specious argument seems true or plausible, but it is actually fallacious and
deceptively attractive.
9. Syllogism
An argument whose conclusion is supported by two premises. One contains the
term that is the predicate of the conclusion and the other contains the term
that is the subject of the conclusion. For example: "All A is B; all B
is C; therefore, all A is C."
10. Taking out of context
Separating an idea or fact from the material surrounding it, thus distorting
it for special purposes. If Critic M writes about a movie saying, "The
plot was predictable and boring, but the music was sparkling," and an advertisement
for the movie say, "Critic M calls this movie 'sparkling,'" the critic's
words have been taken out of context.
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