![]() Weak Analogy – Lawrence Krauss “Big Think”Ī weak analogy is “a fallacy in which a comparison is made between things that aren’t comparable in relevant respects.” 10 In this interview, Krauss argues that teaching someone that the earth is six thousand years old is equivalent to teaching them that the distance across the United States is seventeen feet. The slippery slope is often used in connection with the phrase “one thing leads to another.” But there is really no evidence that these things have any connection. This, they say, will first lead to loitering, then growing a ponytail. People may get a little loopy when they’re hungry, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Snickers is the cure.Ī slippery slope is “a fallacy in which a claim is made with insufficient evidence that if a certain action is taken, it would eventually lead to dire consequences.” 9 In this Taco Bell commercial, two elderly men reel in shock at the idea of a waffle taco. The solution is for him to eat a Snickers. The reason, we are told, is that he is hungry. In reality, there are other options on the table.Ī false cause is “a fallacy in which a cause-and-effect connection is assumed without sufficient evidence for that connection.” 8 In this commercial, the coach starts behaving in nonsensical ways. Since her parents taught her right from wrong, Jim should either trust her to do the right thing or he is a bad parent. If Justin Timberlake says so, it must be true!Ī false dilemma is “a fallacy in which a problem is presented as having only two solutions when there is at least one other possibility.” 7 In this scene, Jim’s daughter presents him with a classic false dilemma. Having celebrities market products is a common form of this fallacy. Getting your picture taken doesn’t make you an authority. In order to be considered an authority, they should at least have had a fair amount of the experience using the cameras. However, they are not real authorities on the subject. They ought to know, since people are constantly trying to take pictures of them. ![]() The cat continually distracts Alice from the question at hand.Īn inappropriate appeal to authority is “a fallacy in which an argument is built upon the testimony of an individual who is not an authority on the subject at hand.” 6 In this commercial for Sony cameras, Peyton Manning and Justin Timberlake are brought in as witnesses to show that Sony is the best. The cat continues to introduce irrelevant issues into the discussion, at one point asking “Can you stand on your head?” Though this isn’t technically an argument, you can see the point. As she attempts to find him, she is given directions by the Cheshire Cat. A straw man is “a fallacy in which an argument is misrepresented in a way that makes it easier to refute.” 4Ī red herring is “a fallacy in which an irrelevant issue is raised in an argument in order to avoid the issue at hand.” 5 In this scene from the classic Disney movie, Alice is lost in Wonderland searching for the White Rabbit. The commercials are funny, but they use a lot of straw man arguments to show that Mac is better than PC. ![]() ![]() The Mac is a young man dressed in modern clothing. The commercials always feature two people. Not long ago, Apple ran a series of commercials comparing Apple products to PCs. ![]() Eventually, due to his failure to have DirecTV, the man ends up faking his own death and attending his own funeral. While waiting for the cable guy, a series of escalating bad consequences happen. Ad hominem is the favorite fallacy of those who have run out of good arguments.Ī scare tactic is “a fallacy in which an argument’s strength is built on the fear of negative consequences for not agreeing with its conclusion.” 3 In this commercial we are warned of all the negative consequences we will reap if we don’t get DirecTV. For more examples, we need only watch political debates. Of course, it is meant to be humorous, but it illustrates the point. This has nothing to do with whether or not DirecTV is a good product. Ad hominem is “a fallacy in which an argument attacks a person rather than supporting or disproving a conclusion.” 2 The man in this commercial begins by saying that DirecTV hates puppies. ![]()
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