Logical Arguments
Friday, April 20th, 2007While the debate on Copyright Infringement continues over on Scott Adams‘ blog, one of the comments made me laugh, so I thought I’d infringe a little myself - here’s a verbatim copy
Amazingly Bad Analogy
Example: You can train a dog to fetch a stick. Therefore, you can train a potato to dance.Faulty Cause and Effect
Example: On the basis of my observations, wearing huge trousers makes you fat.I am the World
Example: I don’t listen to country music. Therefore, country music is not popular.Generalizing from Self
Example: I’m a liar. Therefore, I don’t believe what you’re saying.Total Logical Disconnect
Example: I enjoy pasta because my house is made of bricks.Judging Things Without Comparison to Alternatives
Example: I don’t invest in US Treasury bills. There’s too much risk.Ignorance of statistics
Example: I’m putting ALL of my money on the lottery this week because the jackpot is so big.Irrelevant Comparisons
Example: A hundred dollars is a good price for a toaster, compared to buying a Ferrari.Incompleteness as Proof of Defect
Example: Your theory of gravity doesn’t address the question of why there are no unicorns, so it must be wrong.Following the Advice of Known Idiots
Example: Uncle Billy says pork makes you smarter. That’s good enough for me!Faulty Pattern Recognition
Example: His last six wives were murdered mysteriously. I hope to be wife number seven.Failure to Recognise what’s Important
Example: My house is on fire! Quick, call the post office and tell them to hold my mail!Ignoring all Anecdotal Evidence
Example: I always get hives immediately after eating strawberries. But withouta scientifically controlled experiment, it’s not reliable data. So I continue to eat strawberries every day, since I can’t tell if they cause hives.Inability to Understand That Some Things Have Multiple Causes
Example: The Beatles were popular for one reason only: They were good singers.Judging the Whole by One of Its Characteristics
Example: The sun causes sunburns. Therefore, the planet would be better off without the sun.Taking Things to Their Illogical Conclusion
Example: If you let your barber cut your hair, the next thing you know he’ll be lopping off your limbs!Proof by Lack of Evidence
Example: I’ve never seen you drunk, so you must be one of those Amish people.