Index of Common Logical Fallicies

[Canuckster1127]

I came across this recently and thought it was a helpful listing of logical fallicies. It may be of help to those who want to better understand what a person means when they identify (or claim to identify) a fallacy in somebody's argument, like a straw man or a false dilemma. Or maybe in reading something there's something that just doesn't seem right but you can't put your finger on it. Checking here might help you clarify what you think is happening and express it in a way that is a little clearer for all involved.

http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/

[puritan lad]

Good site.

One word on Begging the Question (Circular Arguments). Not all circular arguments are logical fallacies, because all arguments are circular at the metaphysical level, Broadly circular arguments are fallacies in that they assume a position on what's being debated. Narrowly circular arguments, however, are not fallacies, but rather provide a foundation for arguing anything. (ie. "I think, therefore I am" is a narrowly circular argument).

In addition, an argument can be a fallacy and still be true, like the Bible argument given on the site.

[Canuckster1127]

I agree PL. Logic in the end is structure and there are two measures that ultimately must be applied to any assertion in the form of logic.

1. The internal Validity: Meaning that there are no fallacies or disconnects such as you note. It's possible for a logical assertion to be true even though the argument put forward is internally inconsistent. The most you can say in that situation is that the argument itself is invalid. The truth of the premises of the assertion may or may not be true.

2. The truth of premises themselves. An argument can be perfectly valid internally yet it can be no more true than the assertions that it rests upon.

[SnowDrops]

It's going to take a while to read all of that. Would be nice to know the terminology though, because right now when someone says "strawman" I have no idea what they're talking about.

[SnowDrops]

You like eggs, icecream, pizza, cake, fish, jello, chicken, taco sauce, soda, oranges, milk, egg rolls, and yogurt so you must like this yummy dish made out of all of them.

I suppose logical fallacies must make for bad cooking.