Chapter 7 Induction Fallacies

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Hast Generalization

arrive at a general statement or rule by citing too few supporting cases.

Example 1: "The food in L.A is lousy, judging from this one meal."

Argument by Anectote (Hasty generalization)- A fallacy that occurs when a speaker or writer tries to support a general claim by offering a story.

Generalizing from exceptional cases- Arriving at a general statement or rule by citing an atypical supporting case.

Example: 'Animals will live longer if they are on a calorie restricted diet. This has been shown in experiments with rats."

Accident- Assumes that a general statement automatically applies to a specific case/exceptional case.

Example: 'everyone should have access to a college education. Therefore,anyone who applies should be admitted to cal poly."

Weak Analogy- based on debatable or unimportant similarities between two or more things.

Example: " My mom is just like adolf hitler. I doubt she will let me go out with you guys.

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Mistaken Appeal to authority- tries to support a contention by offering as evidence the opinion of a nonauthoritative source.

Example: "My doctor thinks my car has leaking valves. Therefore, my car has leaking valves.

Mistaken appeal to popularity- treats an issue that cannot be settled by public opiniion as if it can.

Example: "The iranians have nuclear weapons. Everyone knows that."

Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc- (after something, therefore because, of it)- assumes the fact that one event came after another establishes that it was caused by the other.

example: "After I took zicam my cold went away fast. Therefore taking zicam caused my cold to go away fast."

Overlooking the possibility of coincedance- A fallacy that when a speaker or writer assumes that a coincidental temporal juxtaposition of two events is due to causation.

Overlooking the possibility of common cause- A fallacy that occurs when a speaker or writer overlooks the possibility that two things may both be the effects of a third thing.

Overlooking the possibility of random variation- A fallacy that occurs when a speaker or writer assumes that random fluctuation is due to causation.

Overlooking the posibility of regression- A fallacy that occurs when a speaker or writer assumes that a change in the value of a variable from more atypical to less on subsequent measurements is due to causation.

Cum Hoc, Ergo propter Hoc- assumes that the fact that two events happen at about the same time establishes that one caused the other.

Example:"John had a heart attack while he was saying a prayer. Therefore the prayer caused the heart attack."

Overlooking the possiblity of reversed causation- A fallacy that occurs when a speaker or writer overlooks the possibility that the stated cause may actually be the effect, and the stated effect may actually be the cause.

Argument by Anectote casual variety- A fallacy that occurs when a speaker or writer tries to support a causual statement by offering a story.

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Chapter 8 Formal fallacies and fallacies of language

Denying the Antecedent

Affirming the consequent: fallacy consisting of conditional claims as one premise. A claim that affirms that consequent of the conditional as second premise, a claim that affirms the antecedent of the conditional as the conclusion.

Example: Conditional claim if P, then Q. "I you study, then you will get a better grade."

P= you study

Q= you will get a better grade.

The "if" part of a conditional claim is called the "antcedent." In our example, this is P.

The "Then" part of a conditional claim is called the "consequent." In our example, this is Q

Example 2: If p, then Q

Q

Therefore, P

Example 3

If someone lives in San Diego, then they live in California.

Joe lives in California

Therefore, Joe lives in San Diego

If you clean your room, then you can play outside.

Antecedant Consequent

You play outside= consequent

You cleaned your room= Antecedant