The Significance of Logical Fallacies

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how critical thinking is evident by the very fact that it plays a pivotal role in any process of enquiry that is undertaken to arrive at the truth, a sound argument, or an objective opinion. It discusses three fallacies that belong to the broader category of informal fallacies, which rely on ambiguity and emotional appeal instead of logic and reason and shows how important it is that critical thinkers develop the necessary skills to ensure that reasoning is based on verifiable facts and relevant premises and not on fallacies of logic.

From the Paper:

"The red herring fallacy, which is also known as ignorance of refutation, shares a great deal of similarity with the two fallacies discussed earlier. This is because all three fallacies attempt to digress from the main argument. However, the red herring fallacy refers to an argument that is based on premises, which are logically irrelevant to its conclusion (Curtis, 2001-2004). For example, if a business that is accused of creating unacceptable levels of pollution argues that it is generating employment for thousands of people and that it pays millions of dollars in taxes, it is using premises that are irrelevant to the conclusion. As such, decisions in such cases must take place only after all such irrelevant reasons are weeded out."

More papers on The Significance of Logical Fallacies:

• Analytical Essay # 115099 : "Logical Fallacies and Decision Making"
• Essay # 57367 : "Critical Thinking: Logical Fallacies"
• Essay # 59853 : "Logical Fallacies"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: