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Silent3

(15,190 posts)
26. That's true, and goes beyond the "fallacy fallacy" listed
Mon Apr 30, 2012, 09:13 PM
Apr 2012

The way that web site describes the fallacy fallacy they're only admitting that someone can argue for something that is correct in spite of the fallacies they employ.

Not all fallacies are poor arguments, however. Many arguments that might technically be classified as fallacies can nevertheless lend substantial weight to a particular position, even if they aren't air tight arguments.

Take for instance the genetic fallacy. I often want to know the source of a piece of information. The fact that a story comes from, say, Fox News, doesn't in and of itself make the story wrong, but it certainly increases my doubts about it. When someone warns me that something someone else told me came from Fox News, I'm not going to disregard that person for employing the genetic fallacy, I'll be happy for their warning.

Appeals to emotion are necessary in many arguments, even if they can be classified as a form of fallacy. There's certainly reason to be suspicious when appeal to emotion is overdone, when you can't find any factual substance to go with the emotional content of an argument, or when you discover emotions are being cynically played upon. On the other hand, however, good persuasive rhetoric requires recognizing that human beings aren't analytical robots. If you abandon emotional appeals completely, based on some misguided desire to avoid fallacy, you'll cripple your ability to connect with most people.

I'm sure some here will skepticscott Apr 2012 #1
That's awesome! RevStPatrick Apr 2012 #2
I'm pretty sure the great sky wizard doesn't like 2on2u Apr 2012 #3
Printing out a copy to hang on my wall. Speck Tater Apr 2012 #4
Doesn't that mean that "I shall stop practicing religion"? nt ladjf Apr 2012 #5
You left out the mind projecction fallacy. rug Apr 2012 #6
Who's "you"? skepticscott Apr 2012 #7
If I was talking to you I'd have said ignoratio elenchi. rug Apr 2012 #8
Yes, that would characterize skepticscott Apr 2012 #9
Actually, it fits #7 to a t. rug Apr 2012 #10
Ah, the irony. nt mr blur Apr 2012 #13
Speaking of ignoratio, you promised that you and the "we" you spoke of, will ignore me. rug Apr 2012 #14
Post removed Post removed Apr 2012 #15
Do you want that included because of your frequent use of it? cleanhippie Apr 2012 #23
You also left out Ad Hominem Tu Quoque. rug Apr 2012 #24
The only ad hominem here is yours, as "I" left nothing out of anything. cleanhippie Apr 2012 #25
They're exactly as applicable to faith as they are to love saras Apr 2012 #11
Logig and its fallacies operate in the real world. That's a pretty big arena. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #12
Various logical fallacies can actually, under some conditions, represent very good reasoning: struggle4progress Apr 2012 #16
Can you give an example? Jim__ Apr 2012 #17
Argumentum ad ignorantiam provides numerous examples: struggle4progress Apr 2012 #18
Your example is fundamentally flawed skepticscott Apr 2012 #20
According to the Chrysippian account of implication (namely, that A => B is synonymous with ~A v B), struggle4progress Apr 2012 #21
Except that's not skepticscott Apr 2012 #22
A musical interlude struggle4progress Apr 2012 #19
That's true, and goes beyond the "fallacy fallacy" listed Silent3 Apr 2012 #26
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