1. Flaws in Persuasion And Rhetorical Appeals
Logical Fallacies
Flaws in Persuasion
And
Rhetorical Appeals

2. In real life
Thinking people don’t accept an argument just because they hear it. They don’t let prejudice taint their ability to listen to another person. Think about what you hear. Determine if it is fallacious or not.

3. Ad Populum
Recognizes persuaders attempt to argue that one should think or act a certain way because most of the people are doing it
(argument against bandwagon/plain folks)
“The fact that the majority of our citizens support the death penalty proves that it is morally right.”

4. Appeal to Fear
Recognizes propaganda’s attempt to create an irrational fear in the audience by presenting words or images that are drastic extremes of worst case outcomes
(argument against loaded
words/transfer)
Nazis are scary. Buy war bonds to prevent them from taking over your child
“A vote for him is like a vote for terrorists.”.

5. CIRCULAR ARGUMENT
Recognizes a speaker’s simple restatement (repeating) the question, point, or argument rather than actually answering or attempting to prove it; talking in circles… getting nowhere
(argument against repetition)

6. FALSE ANALOGY
Recognizes the error in focusing on subjects unrelated to the real issue at hand by connecting things the audience already has positive (sex appeal, patriotism) or negative (terrorism, human rights abuses) feelings about. When examining the comparison, ask yourself… how similar are these things?
(argument against transfer/snob appeal)

7. FALSE AUTHORITY
Recognizes that an ad or speaker has cited an authority who is not qualified to have an expert opinion OR cites an expert by hearsay only
(argument against testimonial)
Example: My math teacher is tutoring me in English.

8. FALSE DILEMMA
recognizes when an ad or speaker has suggested there are ONLY 2 options -- when there are really more choices
“Either you are for me or you are against me”
“Either you let me copy your answers or you are not really my friend”

9. Non-Sequitur
something that just does not follow; using ideas that don’t relate (argument against transfer)

10. Personal Attack- AD HOMINEM
Attacking the individual or competitor instead of the argument
For example: In an ad, Verizon uses name-calling (saying they are better than AT&T and Sprint). This is the persuasive or propaganda device.
AT&T and Sprint customers would point to the fallacy, Ad Hominem, to argue that Verizon’s ad should not the convince anyone to switch

11. Personal Attack- AD HOMINEM (cont.)
Political candidates (and immature people) use name calling as a way to convince someone they are right or “win” an argument (persuasive device) Ad Hominem is the fault or problem with the name calling strategy.

12. RED HERRING
Recognizes a persuader’s attempt to distract or divert another from the point by introducing another topic/changing the subject
M: It’s time for bed.
C: I’m hungry.
C: I need to go to the bathroom.

13. SLIPPERY SLOPE
Recognizes when a persuader has threatened a series of increasingly dire consequences unless a particular action is taken; this is a conclusion based on the premise, or assumption, that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will happen, too, basically equating A and Z. If we don't want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either. This is NOT if this, then that, but rather…
if this, then this bad thing will happen, and then another worse thing, and another even worse thing, and another worse thing…

14. STRAW MAN
recognizes when a persuader has misrepresented an opponent’s point in order to make it easier to win support or the argument
Son: “Can we get a pet dog?”
Mother: “No”
Son: “Why not? It will protect us as well.”
Mother: “Still, No”
Son: “Why are you leaving us and the home unprotected?”

15. Identify the fallacy A: We should liberalize the laws on beer.
B: No, any society with unrestricted access to intoxicants loses its work ethic; no one will ever go to work again.
Straw Man

16. ID
"If you continue to listen to that music so loudly, you will lose your hearing completely.”
Appeal to fear

17. ID
"To his dying day, Governor Marvin Mandel will never understand what was wrong in accepting more that $350,000 worth of gifts from wealthy friends who happened to engage in business ventures that benefited from his gubernatorial influence. The governor has lots of company … And to defend the man, they have cried in bewilderment that ‘everybody does it,’ that politics survives on back scratching.”
Ad populum

18. ID
"Look, you are going to have to make up your mind. Either you decide that you can afford this stereo, or you decide you are never going to listen music again.”
False Dilemma

19. ID
"We have to stop the tuition increase! The next thing you know, they’ll raise the price of books, then the price of dorms. Before you know it, they'll be charging $40,000 a semester and no one will be able to go to college!”
Slippery Slope

20. ID Teacher to Teacher conversation:
High school graduation requirements should be stricter. I recommend that you support it, too. After all, we are in a budget crisis, and we do not want our salaries affected.
Red Herring

21. ID
President Reagan was a great communicator because he had the knack of talking effectively to the people.
Circular Argument

22. ID
False Authority

23. ID
Employees are like nails. Just as nails must be hit in the head in order to make them work, so must employees.
Copyright © Stephen Downes,
"Students should be allowed to look at their textbooks during examinations. After all, surgeons have X-rays to guide them during an operation; lawyers have briefs to guide them during a trial; carpenters have blueprints to guide them when they are building a house.
False Analogy

24. ID
My child’s school is big. The teachers are not as caring as they are at other schools.
Non Sequitur

25. ID
I have justice on my side, I am sure you will not be influenced by this gentleman's pretended knowledge of the law. He doesn't even know which side of his shirt ought to be in front!
paraphrase from Lincoln to jury
Ad Hominem

26. ETHOS Credibility or ethical appeal
Means convincing by character. We tend to believe people we respect.
Example: Michelle Kramer, director of research at St. Jude, agrees that more money should be spent to look into childhood leukemia.
Angelina Jolie agrees that adoption is beneficial to the children.

27. LOGOS Logical Persuasion through reason
Leukemia affects one in four children. Money should be spent to research so that we can help those children.
40,000 children live in orphanages and need good homes. People should explore adoption.

28. PATHOS Emotional Means persuading by appealing to emotions
Leukemia affects thousands of children. Their pain and suffering cannot be comprehended. It could be your child.
Some children have no future without adoption.