Fallacies in Logic and Reasoning, Inductive and Deductive Reasoning - Coursework Example

Fallacies in Logic and Reasoning, Inductive and Deductive Reasoning Logic is the study of reasoning; that is the nature of correct reasoning and of incorrect reasoning. Its focus on the way an argument unfolds, and not whether the arbitrary statement is true or accurate. Therefore, an argument can both be deductively valid and perfectly absurd. On the other hand, a fallacy is an invalid form of argument, which is an instance of incorrect reasoning. The following are the common fallacies. 1. Jane gets a rather large wart on her finger. Based on a story her father told her, she cuts a potato in half, rubs it on the wart and then buries it under the light of a full moon. Over the next month her wart shrinks and eventually vanishes. Jane writes her father to tell him how right he was about the cure. This is an appeal to authority fallacy since Jane believes in what her father told her. 2. God exists because the Bible says so.  The Bible is inspired.  Therefore, we know that God exists. This is an appeal to tradition fallacy since people believe in what is written in the Bible and they conclude that indeed God exists. 3. I get so tired of people telling me what is good for me! I drink a lot of soda and I am fine. Everyone else drinks soda too. And furthermore, MSG is in everything and no one has died yet! This is an argument of silence since there is evidence of someone dying as a result of taking soda. So there is no evidence to contradict taking of soda. 4. When the rooster crows, the sun rises.  Therefore, the rooster causes the sun to rise. This is circular reasoning since the person reasoning in this case and makes the conclusion begins with what he ends up with. 5. The new UltraSkinny diet will make you feel great. No longer be troubled by your weight. Enjoy the admiring stares of the opposite sex. Revel in your new freedom from fat. You will know true happiness if you try our diet! This is bandwagon fallacy since the arguments appeal to the growing popularity of the diet as a reason of accepting it is true. 6. Your friend is a thief.  Therefore, I cannot trust you. This is association fallacy since the person reasoning concludes that since the person’s friend is a thief, then he is also a thief. 7. "You cannot prove that God does not exist, so He does." This is argument from ignorance since the claim that God does not exist can not be proved otherwise. 8. I know I forgot to deposit the check into the bank yesterday.  But, nothing I do pleases you. This is invincible ignorance since the person does not care about what the other one does, so nothing pleases him. 9. Don't listen to him because he is a loser. This is ad hominem fallacy since person is attacking the arguer and not the argument. 10. In this argument, the type of fallacy that comes from it is the appeal to authority fallacy. Jane’s assertion is deemed because of the position the doctor has in the society. 11. You either did knock the glass over or you did not.  Which is it? This is fallacy of many questions since it is loaded with a question. It limits direct replies from the person being questioned. 12. Bill: "Jill and I both support having prayer in public schools." Jill: "Hey, I never said that!" Bill: "You're not an atheist are you Jill?" The fallacy in this case is the hasty generalization. Even though Jill does not support the prayers, Bill claims that they both support the school payers, which is not the case. 13. We know why it rained today: because I washed my car. This is furtive fallacy since the owner of the car asserts that it rained because he had washed his car. 14. Jane and Bill are talking: Jane: "I'll be able to buy that car I always wanted soon." Bill: "Why, did you get a raise?" Jane: "No. But you know how I've been playing the lottery all these years?" Bill: "Yes, you buy a ticket for every drawing, without fail." Jane: "And I've lost every time." Bill: "So why do you think you will win this time?" Jane: "Well, after all those losses I'm due for a win. In this case, this is gambler’s fallacy since Jane believes despite losing in the previous lotteries; she can win the subsequent ones and buy a car. 15. "We have to stop the tuition increase! The next thing you know, they'll be charging $40,000 a semester!" this is faulty statistics since the students are using the wrong figures as the tuition fee for the next semester. 16. Prof. Jones: "The University just cut our yearly budget by $10,000." Prof. Smith: "What are we going to do?" Prof. Brown: "I think we should eliminate one of the teaching assistant positions. That would take care of it." Prof. Jones: "We could reduce our scheduled raises instead." Prof. Brown: “I can't understand why you want to bleed us dry like that, Jones." This is historian’s fallacy since Professor Brown believes that they are likely to be affected in the same way in which previous staff was affected by cutting the yearly budget. Inductive and deductive reasoning There are two ways of arriving at conclusions in sciences, inductively and deductively. Deductive reasoning comes in when a researcher shifts from general information to more specific one. It is also referred to as “top-down” approach as the researcher starts from the top with very broad spectrum of information working their way to more specific conclusion. For inductive reasoning, it works in the opposite way as the researcher moves from specific observations to generalizations. 1. A robin is a bird. A bird is an animal with wings and feathers. Therefore a robin is an animal with wings and feathers. This is deductive reasoning as the researcher moves from the general observation of having the robin as a bird to an animal with wings and feathers. 2. All the houses I have seen on Martino Street are box-shaped. Therefore I can say, “All houses on Martino Street are box-shaped. This is inductive fallacy since researcher concludes that all houses on Martino Street are box-shaped since he had some them being box-shape. 3. The Quintinilla family just moved here from El Salvador. All the Salvadorans I know are really good cooks. Therefore the Quintinilla family must be really good cooks. This is deductive reasoning since the researcher moves form the general observation of all Salvadorans being good cooks to this family becoming good cooks. 4. Every light bulb I tested from the new package was burned out. Therefore the package must have contained faulty light bulbs. This is deductive reasoning as the arguer concludes that the whole package had faulty bulbs upon testing some of them. 5. I saw on the news that the authorities caught tem illegal aliens crossing the Mexican US border. All Mexicans must have come here illegally. This is inductive reasoning as the researcher moves from the specific form of having some aliens cross to the U.S illegally to concluding that all Mexicans came to the U.S illegally. 6. My mother always gets upset over inconsequential issues. Therefore women are over-sensitive and emotional. This is inductive reasoning since the person moves from seeing his mother being upset over inconsequential issues to concluding that all women are over-sensitive. 7. Many students got sick after the class party. The outbreak of food poisoning was probably caused by the potato salad. This is deductive reasoning as the person moves from the general information of students getting sick to concluding that the sickness was caused by the potato salad. 8. My boyfriends have never shown any interest in my feelings. Men are pigs. This is inductive reasoning as the person uses the information of her boyfriends not having feelings in her to concluding that all men are pigs. 9. Every triangle has three sides. The figure I just drew has three sides. The figure is a triangle. This is deductive reasoning since the person uses the general information of all triangles having three sides to concluding that the figure he drew with three sides is a triangle. 10. My aunt was robbed by a black man and so was my cousin. I think black men are scary and I better stay away from them. This is inductive reasoning as the person moves from the specific information of her aunt and cousin being robbed by black men to concluding that all black men are scary. 11. Most chemistry students do not get an A. Chemistry is very hard. This is deductive reasoning since the person concludes that chemistry is hard from the general information of not students scoring As in this subject. 12. Our schools are failing us! Half the math students are below average. This is inductive reasoning since the person arguing concludes that all schools are failing them since some students are scoring below average in Math. 13. California residents are citizens of the United States. This is inductive reasoning since the arguer moves from having residents in California who are citizens of the U.S. 14. When I prepare thoroughly for my chemistry exam, I do very well. I have prepared thoroughly. I will do well on my exam. This is deductive reasoning since the student concludes that he will pass the exam since he always passes when he has prepared well as he has done. Generalization and exception 1. All objects that are held up in the air will fall down when released. The statement does not have an exception statement. The exception statement is “apart from those that are lighter than air”. 2. Politicians are dishonest. The statement does not have exception statement. The exception statement is “apart from just a few”. 3. There are twenty-four hours in a day. Does not have an exception statement. The exception statement is “apart from cases of seasonal changes.” 4. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. The exception statement is “you are part of the problem.” 5. Poor people drink a lot. I know this because there are liquor stores on every corner in the poor neighborhoods. The exception statement is “the poor not living in the neighborhood of liquor stores do not drink a lot.” 6. Drugs such as heroin and morphine are dangerous and addictive. They should never be used. The exception statement is “they should never be used”. 7. All birds have wings, feathers and can fly. The exception statement is “apart from the ostrich”. 8. Drug addiction is caused by emotional problems. The exception statement is “apart from just a few.” 9. It is not disbelief that is dangerous to our society – it is belief. The exception statement is “it is belief”. 10. Ephemeredes, a philosopher in ancient Crete made the statement; “All Cretans are liars”. The exception statement is “apart from the non-Cretans”. Fallacious arguments Me: Sizzler Chain Restaurant is among the restaurants that serve Italian dishes, did you know that? Tom: They do, they make hamburger! Me: Why do they make hamburgers? Tom: Because they need to make Italian dishes. Deductive argument: Since all chain restaurants make Italian dishes, Sizzler Chain Restaurants also make Italian dishes. Works cited Bennett, Bo. Logically Fallacious: The Ultimate Collection of Over 300 Logical Fallacies (Academic Edition). London: eBookIt.com, 2013. Print Feeney, Aidan. Inductive Reasoning: Experimental, Developmental, and Computational Approaches. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2007. Print Read More