Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Fallacies of Argument Postings March 17, 2010



Dear kiddos,

So this week we have been discussing "fallacies of argument", or rhetoric that relies upon false claims or misinformation to appeal to an audience and persuade. Yesterday we discussed bandwagon, scare tactics, begging the question and hasty generalizations, and in our class text we also see discussion of ad hominem arguments, straw man, and many more.

For this week's blog I would like you to create a post in which you find a real life example of an argument that contains a fallacy (in a newspaper, in a video, an image, or any written work), post a link to this item, and discuss and define what fallacy it contains.

Please view other students' work and comment on what they find. Your grade will be two parts: 1) post completion, and 2) a reaction/comment to one other students' work.

Be kind, do your best, and enjoy.
-K.

45 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So my example of a fallacy is a picture about weight loss. The picture contains fruits and vegetables and on the other side a burger, fries, and soda with a big X on it. This is an example of a scare tactic and also of hasty generalization because this is a way to make people think that only fruits and vegetables are good for you; when actually some fats are good for the human body. The picture is on http://foodgag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/weight-loss1.jpg . This is a good example because it shows how people want to make it seem as if everyone either only eats healthy foods or fatty foods. I think this is bad because anyone that would know about health and their body would take into consideration that fruits and vegetables are good for the human body but also don’t give it all of the necessary things a body needs to function correctly. Of course a lot of fatty foods can make someone fat but only if the person doesn’t take care of their body.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I found a cartoon in which a man is sitting down watching the new and it says “Warning the following news program contains numerous economic fallacies” this cartoon is trying to say that news programs tend about how the economy is doing. http://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoonview.asp?catref=rman5267

    ReplyDelete
  4. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/14/AR2010031400467.html?hpid=topnews

    The link above opens up to an article that talks about the war in Afghanistan and the trouble this means to NATO(a military alliance between Eupoe&America).
    "Last night was like doomsday for all of Kandahar's people," The quote expresses the fear and insecurity the citizens of Afghanistan felt towards the bombing. The quote also expresses the rage the citizens will soon feel against America. Another scare tactic used reads,"We don't feel secure in the presence of all the forces in Afghanistan, and it's terrible for us to live in this kind of situation." The quote illustrates that the Afghans are complaining and will lead up to a war between the Afghan civians and NATO.

    ReplyDelete
  5. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/15/AR2010031501705.html?hpid=newswell

    The link above shows an article about the new D.C. bill that will be passed soon. It informs D.C. residents that teacher-student sex isnt allowed, being that the age consent is 16. I believe that this article is a fallacy of 'Hasty Generalization' because it doesnt give graph or facts on teacher-student sex scandals in D.C. or out of state schools. Teacher-student sex is bad and shouldnt be approved but giving more information on what has been happening could be more useful. The only fact or reason they prove in this article is when they say "...A teacher she believes impregnated an 18-year-old special needs student." Yes this gets a great response from parents but more information through out the state could get this bill passed on faster.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A New York Times paper based on “How Privacy Vanishes Online” by Steve Lohr “Personal privacy is no longer an individual thing,” said Harold Abelson, the computer science professor at M.I.T. the fact that every single person even middle school kids have a social network and post their information even their cell phone number since “every body is doing it” they also do it. I personally like the cartoon that Carlos chose because in my opinion I think TV shows are the main ones that use examples of fallacies everyday.

    ReplyDelete
  7. http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/20/thin.global.warming/index.html

    The link above is an article by CNN on a recent study that concluded that obesity contributes to Global Warming. Those who did the study blame the obese for a rise in the amounts of harmful gases affecting our atmosphere which is only logical because only fat people are lazy, right? They also claim that obese eat a lot more than "skinny" people which in its own little way also contributes to Global Warming.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The example of fallacy I found is pretty common when it comes to your vision. In the example there is a man using two carrots to portray binoculars. He says, "So much for the theory that carrots will make you see better!" This is something that most of us have heard at least once in our lives. Some people think that carrots help your vision while others think otherwise.

    http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/f/fallacies.asp

    ReplyDelete
  9. A real life fallacy can be the one from President Obama in which during his campaing he promise all this citizens solutions to their issues in one year but anything what he promise has happened. During his campaing all his promises made millions of citizens to hop on his bandwagon because others were desparate for a real solution, but now I considered ewverything he said "fallacy" becasue everything he said has been done yet, and many are wondering whether he should be elected for another persidential term.

    ReplyDelete
  10. My Fallacy is Hasty Generalization. It was the example given in school by Ms. Kairies on 3/16/10.


    "A combined medical group from New York University and Columbia University conducted a study covering 5000 consecutive patients with back pain. Because the study included every back-pain patient seen at the two universities until the total of 5000 was reached, it represented an unselected sample. Its results apply to everyone with back pain, rather than to a special segment of back-pain patients."

    (Benno Isaacs and Jay Kobler, The Nickolaus Technique (New York: Viking, 1978), 36.)

    The results cited were in 80% of the cases the back pain was due to muscular insufficiency or poor flexibility.

    Is an inference from a class composed of a given sequence of 5000 patients seen at two university hospitals in New York over a specified time-interval in the 1970's applicable everywhere at any time to each and every person who experiences back pain? Of course not.
    ___________________

    This Fallacy talks about how a test was given to 5000 in New York City on the end result of back pain. They concluded that anyone who has back pain had it due to muscular insufficiency or poor flexibility. The Fallacy here is that they are assuming that becuase they did the test on so much people that everyone who has back pain has it because of this result, which is a generalization. Another argument one can make is that how do we know how professional the two universites are in ther reasearch, what of actual college students condudted the studies as apposed to actual professionals? This statistical information does not apply to all of people in New york let alone people whol ive outsie of New york City. The list can go one forever.
    ___________________

    I partly agree with Doris's Fallacy. I agree that it indeed is a scare tactic with the picture trying to scare people to not eat food with a lot of fat because they can attain fat. What I disagree is her explanation. I do not think they mena to say that nutritional foods dont have fat in them, I think what they were trying to portray was that it has less fat then fat foods, which is why people should eat more of it, interms of thinking of they weight and health.

    ReplyDelete
  11. http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_011609/content/01125113.guest.html


    i found an article where a radio personality, Rush Limbaugh, is using hasty generalization by saying that he hope Obama fails because of liberlism, and that liberlism is the main problem in America.
    As for the person i agree with, I agree with "Dorito's" fallacy analysis of the scare tactic through the food picture. It is a clear representation of what "health freaks" deem as "evil" or "Restricted."

    ReplyDelete
  12. http://angelajlee.wordpress.com/2008/04/08/brief-notes-on-chapter-2

    This link shows a picture of a bunch with others listening to their ipod. This is a fallacy of arugement because it demostrates bandwagon encouranging people to want to buy an ipod. Also since a lot of people already have an ipod a person who doesn't have one will feel left out because they don't have an ipod.

    I agree with Doritos because people can have a balance of food in the body with fruits and vegetables as well as fast food. I agree that the picture she used was a scare tactic to try and get people to stop eating so much fast food and to try and get them "healthier" to make them slim and happy American people.

    ReplyDelete
  13. http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050414/050414_mcdonalds_hmed_7a.hmedium.jpg. The following link is a link to fallacy made by McDonalds. This bandwagon fallacy was created to gain more costumers. By stating “1 million hamburgers sold” it is showing how “everyone” comes and buys their hamburgers. A person who see this statement -which is located directly up under their golden arches- is going to be drawn to their restaurant due to believe that everyone is enjoying them. Overall, McDonalds uses bandwagon to increase their costumer numbers. http://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoonview.asp?catref=rman5267
    I personally can understand this fallacy. It is an example of hasty generalization .It illustrates how there is a belief of every news program shows economic fallacies. I do wish that it would show more and be more onto what it’s trying to show. Lastly, it is true that all news programs do show fallacies.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  15. www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgfzdgWgEZ4

    The following link you will find an article that used Bandwagon to persuade the audience to buy there product. This is an AXE video advertisement where they have a man made of chocolate that has use AXE and all the women are chasing him because they want him and eat him. This is an example of a bandwagon because it gives an idea that if you wear AXE than you will be wanted by girls to. Not only is this advertisement but there are many more in which they have men who use it get women. The product is for men to buy to get women like the person on the advertisement. I believe they used this because they know women like man that smell good and they can sell it throughout using Bandwagon Fallacy.
    I partly agree with Adrian’s Fallacy. I agree that it’s a Hast generalization because it only was studied in a small portion of two universities, what happened to the rest of the world? Also there are people that not necessarily that you have insufficiency or poor flexibility because of back pain. Also it was used that 80% of these people was because of the poor flexibility but again its only these certain people.

    ReplyDelete
  16. http://ajaxallpurpose.blogspot.com/2009/11/she-only-loves-my-dog.html

    The link above contains an image which is an advertisement for Colgate Toothpaste. The image has fallacies because it has loop holes. For instance it states, "To combat bad breath, I recommend Colgate Dental Cream! For scientific tests prove that 7 out of 10 cases, Colgate instantly stops bad breath that originates in the mouth!" The scientific tests have only been done in 10 cases, so we are basing our opinions on a specific number of tests. Also the word "instantly" is used to say that one gets results quickly, but this is just used to get appeal to the audience that they will have good breath in a matter of time.

    After going to Doris link and reading her post, I agree that the image contains fallacies towards food choices. Although fat foods can be bad the body needs some proportion of it it live because people have to get a balanced diet, not only fruits and veggies.

    ReplyDelete
  17. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/16/health/16brod.html?ref=health
    This is a link to an article about a man with lung cancer. i believe this article demonstrats scare tactic by emphazing on emotion situation of the man's wife.

    I was reading Ashley's article that conveys hasty generalization, and i think i can see where the fallaries are. DCPS teacher are being generalized as being sex offenders. Only part of the story is being shown! What happended to the teachers that help their student and the teacher who refused to have sex with their students???

    ReplyDelete
  18. I found this ad from the above the influence campaign. Here’s the link: http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/the-ads/# There’s multiple ads in the form of commercials. The one titled “shoulders” is the one that I put emphasis on. This commercial is an example of using scare tactics, which is a type of fallacy. This add uses multiple scare tactics when it depicts a teenage boy offering another boy to smoke marijuana. All of a sudden the common angel and devil appear on the boy and they start to tell him about all the horrible things that could happen. They say that his whole future will be ruined and that he won’t go to college. They also say that he’ll probably end up homeless in the street. Although I agree that smoking is something that should be prevented I don’t think scare tactics are the best was to go because they discredit the source and makes teenagers not want to listen.

    ReplyDelete
  19. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_18/b3931001_mz001.htm

    Bandwagon is one of the most well known fallacies that maybe used more than we think in the world today. Somehting as simple as the hobbie of blogging has become a fallacy. People startign using blogging as a way of infroming the world about certain gossip going on in the celeb life, advice on relationships, and polotics. As of now it has gone to more than just updates. Businesses are getting involved to promote their type of work. They are also getting feed back on how they are operating their business and how ppl feel about it. A lot of business saw this as a way to learn more of what the public wants and become known for what they do. Once one business started most of them found it as a way to also be or become succesful. This article talks about how business who have been using blogs suggests that others start to use them also. Either they use them or they lose out.

    ReplyDelete
  20. In commenting to what vanessa hernandez posted on scare tactics I disagree that the tactics are bad. The reason so is because the videos used were very disturbing and it would influence me not to consume marijuana.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I think that Bandwagon is the most part of the article. Some people used with their own hands. It takes place in Washington DC. I also learned from the book because it helps me to do better things for the future. They were having a perfect time throughout a whole country. This article connects from the video. People could not do things bad because they were the devils from another country. It might change from the different type of arguments.

    ReplyDelete
  22. www.disney.go.com/disneygroups/friendsforchange/#/disneygroups/friendsforchange/
    In the Disney Channel web site link above I found posters and videos about the friends for change campaign and I realized that they used bandwagon mainly to motivate us to be more conscious about our environment and recycling. They use bandwagon by having all the famous show stars talk about what they doing to help and if they doing it their fans will be more likely to get engage is the campaign too. I agree with Vanessa because scare tactics will not always be effective. She gives a perfect example because the majority of teenager who smoke marijuana or anything are aware of the negative effects and yet they still do it.

    ReplyDelete
  23. http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/fun/slom.aspx#

    This is a link to a video from live above the influence web site and it contains a video about Kids Sloming. Sloming isn't really a word but in the video S.L.O.M stands for Sticking Leeches On Myself. Of course this isn't something that people actually do. This video however is an example of bandwagon because everybody in the school was doing it. the video shows how kids were determined to find leeches and how the principle had to confiscate it like if they were drugs. it is also an example of peer pressure and how people get sucked into doing things because they dont fit in and want to belong to the crowd. This video however is a referrance to smoking and how everybody is doing it. at the end of the video it says "What could you be convinced to do?" and the words are wrapped up into a cigarrete. The main purpose of this video is to let their audience know that they should live above the influence and not be convinced by peer pressure.

    ReplyDelete
  24. i agree with karina's fallacy of bandwagon about the comercial of axe because it tries to persuade men to buy the product. it basically says that if they wear the product women would wanna eat they. in other words women would want to be around them. so if it worked for the guy in the commercial it can work on other guys as well.

    ReplyDelete
  25. http://www.fallacydetective.com/products/item/the-fallacy-detective(second picture)

    An ad hominem argument is an argument which links the validity of a premise to a characteristic or belief of the person advocating the premise. This picture represents an hominem argument because the lobster? just simply objects the shrimp for it's given identity,but did not consider other factors. Therefore, the lobster's argument "can we let a shrimp like this run our country?" is an ad hominem fallacy.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I agree with Gaston Douglas that the Mcdonalds ad. contains bandwagan fallacy, because the ad. encourages people to buy the product by stating how many burgers were sold which shows the burger is very popular and many people like it

    ReplyDelete
  27. http://www.frankwbaker.com/alcoho5.jpg

    The link above displays an image by a liquor company named Jose Cuervo and that also is an example of a fallacy. In this image its astonishing to see that a message written that says "PURSUE YOUR DAYDREAMS." As all people may know when one consumes alcohol they tend to get drunk and do things that they wouldn't normally do. The image also contains a ma holding a women and they seem very happy. The reality is that is not likely that a person will go through this things as a result of drinking Jose Cuervo.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I agree with Karina’s example of the AXE advertisement being an example of bandwagon because it shows the actions that will take place if a guy uses AXE instead of any other type of product. Girls will go after the guy, are going to want to be all over him, and everything. In order to sell the product, the makers use women as the prize so that men can be bought by the commercial and want to buy it quicker. Since women is men’s weakness it works perfectly… in some occasions.

    ReplyDelete
  29. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100317/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_american_jihadists

    This link is an online article, "Recent cases show challenge of U.S terrorist," that talks about Americans being "terrorist." This is an example of hasty generalization. They believe that since, “Altogether more than a dozen Americans have been captured or pursued for allegedly supporting jihad” Just because they have captured a few Americans doesn’t mean that there is an imminent threat within the U.S. That being said they are attacking all those people who are Muslims which can be an example of Ad Hominem. This creates a fear within the United States that people, American people are betraying their country. So by using scare tactics citizens will spring into action in helping capturing the “American terrorist.”

    I agree with Doris’ example of the scare tactic fallacy because, Americans, well most Americans are self-conscious about their weight. The picture show fast food as a bad choice therefore being crossed out, meanwhile the vegetables being a better choice they seem fresh and healthy. But to have a complete healthy and nutritious meal you must have some fat in your diet. So while fast food burgers, fries may not be the best choice there are some healthy alternatives to eating fat

    ReplyDelete
  30. After reading Doritos example about fallacy I agree with her that people use scare tactics advertisement to make people take action on what they are eating. This work well on persuading people to stop eating fast food because that is not good for our body and if we don't take action it can be harmful for our health. However, in reality people should take in consideration that our body also need some fat in order to work well but its important to keep in mind to do exercise and try to eat more fruits and vegetables than fatty food in order to be healthy.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Bandwagon is the most known fallacies. One bandwagon what took off was promise rings. There are a lot of people who have either bough ten a purity ring or either said that they were going to say virgins until they get married. The main reason this is so popular is because celebrities wear them. For example Selena Gomez ,Demi Lovato, Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Hilary Duff, Miley Cyrous, Jordon Sparks. And it’s not only girls their are guys wearing purity rings as well, for example the Jonas Brother it is also in a very popular TV show Secret Life Of The American Teenager. After celebrates started saying that they weren’t having sex until their wedding night. Lost of teens look up to them and they want to do what they do. If they think something is cool then their fans well think that too. You have no idea how many people started wearing purity rings or saying that they were practicing celibacy.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I agree with Karina. Axe markets their product around females. Every time you see their commercial there is a female following the male around. And the guy likes it. So other males are going to want to buy Axe so that they too can have female followers. And in reality it is far from the case

    ReplyDelete
  33. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-straw-man-argument.htm
    This is an starw man fallacie. Which consists of trying to give a reason fro something wanted. In the sceneari above, the child is telling his dad that he want a do, the father says no and then the kid keeps trying and for that he tell him that it i going to be his fault if something happens which means that the dog is going to protect them. The child is trynig to justify the reason he wants the dog. Of course he knows that his dad wants to protect he and his mom, but to persuade and convince him, he decides to give a reason and that is protection.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I agree with karen Hernandez because human nature is like that. We follow instead of being leaders. In This video these kids are following just because they saw other people doing it. And it is a good example because they did it for a good cause, they did it to show that they do it with leeches and that they also do it with cigarretes, that it is the same. That everyone follows what the majority or what everyone is doing. Good Bandwagon Karen!

    ReplyDelete
  35. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/#35393877
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/#35393180


    the above link is a video that shows an argument between the two party's of the US. this was broadcast on a very known show named "Meet The Press." there is talk about the Obama administer been serious on the terrorist. there is a women that show straw-man.....

    the second link shows mr.biden and he goes on the offense when v.p dick cheney says that the administers is not doing their job on the terrists. and ironically Biden repeats that cheney is a "fine fellow" but yet is saying that he is "miss inform or miss informing" and says that cheney is trying to "rewrite history."

    ReplyDelete
  36. i agree with waltron. because now a days people generalize on everything. for example, if you are in a certain religion they you are classed as the same as the others that are in the religion. for instance, if am Muslim then am considered as a terrorist. which is very wrong to do. and waltron is correct to consider thats there is some type generalizing in this article.

    ReplyDelete
  37. http://images.google.com
    this image that I found is talking about the government and how the government is trying to control narcotics in the border. it is Ironic because in the image there are boys with guns shooting and acting crazy in the country. Basically this image is showing the risks of consuming drugs.
    I agree with ruiz because people use banwagon to motivate people to help our enviroment. they use famous people to persuade us that we are doing wrong ang to do something.

    ReplyDelete
  38. http://www.agd.org/files/smokingscaretactics.jpg
    My example of a fallacy is a picture about how cigarettes damages your lungs. This picture is an good example on how people use scare tactics in order persuade other to take action on what they are doing is wrong because cigarettes smoke effect your lungs,and it can be dangerous for your health. This advertisement cause fear on people who smoke and motivates them to stop smoking because it shows them that cigarettes can take you to dead.

    ReplyDelete
  39. i agree with what walter if american come in to some one else country and try to take over of course they are going to think that americans are terrorist just the same way we thought about them when they bomb the world trade center. George W bush talk to the american people and uses scare taticsin the bottom links

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7305023.stm

    ReplyDelete
  40. http://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoonview.asp?catref=rman5267


    in this article i found that were carton that news programs tend to show about how the economy is doing. So people can be like ohh!!! look i have to do wat they say tape of stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  41. http://www.diseaseproof.com/realdietstory.gif


    i found this carton is about the women want wight loose, but after time, the women is fat again, i agree slimming drugs is fallacies of argument, because have many people want try that, but slimming drugs is didn't work.

    ReplyDelete
  42. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/RunawayToyotas/sudden-acceleration-toyota-cars-owners-rebel-accidents/story?id=8980479

    This link contains an example of scare tactic because it shows reactions of the multiples accidents for Toyota cars where many people died. Well in this article basically are scarring people that have a Toyota as the result that these cars have apparently problems with the gas pedals which make acceleration constantly and accidentally, then the cars cannot stop. So the people are scary for that statistics, and those are returned the products or request for reparation for their cars although that don’t have any mistake.
    I am agree with Karina Fallacy example because it tries to persuade man about buy a product to have girl that one want. So basically the product makes the consumer of chocolate and every girl want to be with the person who consume this product.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Moral Equivalence
    http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/36610/why_ban_smoking_in_public_places_arguments.html

    In the website, the person argues about smoking in public places which she compares as no different than people not eating the right type of food. To me it seems that even thought people know how things can affect people's lives, both smoking and poor dietary choices are no different. A minor problem such as health has become a big issue, but smoking seem to be just a "who cares" knowing that it's more than just developing cancer and affecting others.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I agree with Lazaro but at the same time I don't. Here is why, first Toyota won't sale cars without being tested. I agree that when everything started Toyota didn't know about the issue. Even thought there's been a low rate of sales, people who are really interested in Toyota vehicles will know that based on previous issues, vehicles are to be tested before putting them back to the market. I agree that most of the media will use scary tactics based on "previous" problems which now people are aware. A moral equivalence could be playing a major role as well. This is basically saying "how many people died last year because of alcohol abuse while driving?" (vodka, miller light,corona, etc). Have any beer company been sued for such a tragedy that their product causes? This is just a mistake everyone makes soon or later. Just like Toyota and alcohol abuse don't differ, why one seems to be worse than the other? can somebody tell me?

    ReplyDelete
  45. http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/06/0615_lifestyledrugs/image/fatpharma.jpg

    This is a link to an man that is next to a running machine. i believe this image demonstrats scare tactic by emphazing on emotion situation of the man lookes.


    I agree with Doris, because she has a image that has healthy food and juk food with a big x that shows that juk food is unhealthy. and not good to be eating.

    ReplyDelete