The past few weeks we've been discussing arguments, and the key elements of arguments. This week's focus was on Stephen Toulmin's method of analyzing arguments critically, which includes learning how to identify and spot fallacies (Crusius). Fallacies are invalid reasonings used in constructing an argument. When the claim you make in an argument has no valid reasoning or basis of evidence, it is probably a fallacy.
Fallacies are especially common in marketing and political ads and arguments. Here are a few examples that I found:
Shifting the goalpost fallacy: As the world was trying to get back to 'normal' after the Covid shutdowns, Pres Biden and his team initially proclaimed that getting students back to in school attendance one day a week would be considered as 'schools being reopened'. However, after parental uproar at the notion of one day a week school, Biden and team 'shifted that goalpost' and changed school reopening to 5 days a week.
Biden reframes his goal on reopening of elementary schools
And, I can't even with Pres Trump. 😒 Would it be much of a fallacy for me to say that everything that comes out of his mouth is a fallacy?!?
Hasty generalizations fallacy: Here we have a Washington Post article from 2015 when Trump first announced that he was running for president. In his speech, in regards to illegal immigration, he makes a 'hasty generalization' fallacy saying that all of the Mexican immigrants coming over are criminals. This is obviously untrue and has no basis of evidence.
Donald Trump announces a presidential bid
Ad hominem fallacy: Pres Trump is also the worst when it comes to personally attacking people. If he doesn't like what someone has to say, instead of using logic and reasoning to refute their argument, he will just spew out vicious and hateful remarks about that person. This usually occurs anytime he opens his mouth, but here's an NBC News article for reference:
Trump unleashes a torrent of personal attacks on Harris
That's all for this week folks!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/06/16/full-text-donald-trump-announces-a-presidential-bid/
https://apnews.com/article/biden-reopening-elementary-schools-cfd3f434a66bdcd919e3ea4a3ac052db
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-unleashes-torrent-personal-attacks-harris-calling-worst-lazy-hel-rcna176599
Crusius, T., & Channell, C. (2016). The aims of argument: A text and reader (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
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