Now, I apparently haven’t learned my lesson about arguing on the Internet, because I seem to do it often enough. Regardless, the sheer amount of logical fallacies that exists irritates me. I cannot seem to get involved with someone’s discussion without at least one of them popping up. The most common is the ad hominem. This usually involves someone calling me crazy or something similar. Naturally, this is then sandwiched with the comment that makes it all okay! This is an observation, not an insult.
Of course, these individuals have commit themselves to decades of study regarding the mental condition and deficiencies therein. Because of this, alas, I have no other course available to me other than committing myself to the nearest mental institution. Thank you, Doctor. I would never have known without your expert opinion.
Another one of my favorites is… argumentum ad ignorantiam. I believe this was put in another way… The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. Now, this works both ways. Both of these statements are false in the light of this logical fallacy:
God does not exist because you cannot prove he does.
God exists because you cannot prove that he does not.
That’s right… both of them are wrong.
Another one that I run into constantly is argumentum ad numerum. The problem with this one is simple… regardless of how many people believe in something, it can still be false.
The Red Herring is another common one. In debates about the rights of homosexuals, it is a logical fallacy of this nature to then bring in bestiality, weddings to kinsman, and other such information. Oddly, that’s not what we’re discussing, is it? This can also be considered a slippery slope.
Another one that I find constantly is argumentum ad verecundiam. This is essentially appealing to an authority figure that is not considered one or really is not an expert in that field.
Now… this site amuses me so much… Because it practices what it preaches, essentially. Look through it and see if you can spot the logical errors.
