Tuesday 17 January 2012

Logical Fallacy Nugget

Two more to think about :

  • Fallacy of accident or sweeping generalization: a generalization that disregards exceptions.
    • Example
      Argument: Cutting people is a crime. Surgeons cut people, therefore, surgeons are criminals.
      Problem: Cutting people is only sometimes a crime.
       The exception does not break nor define the rule; a dicto simpliciter ad dictum secundum quid (where an accountable exception is ignored).




  • Converse fallacy of accident or hasty generalization: argues from a special case to a general rule.
    • Example
      Argument: Every person I've met speaks English, so it must be true that all people speak English.
      Problem: Those who have been met are not a representative subset of the entire set.
    • Also called reverse accident, destroying the exception, a dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter



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