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Logical Fallacies

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Logical Fallacies
Nicole Smith
American Intercontinental University Online

Abstract
Logical fallacies are mistakes in philosophical reasoning. One must be able to determine when a fallacy is being used as an argument so they are prepared to argument against such fallacy.

Logical Fallacies There are several logical fallacies to watch for when making a philosophical argument. A mere assertion is someone asserting a lie to make it seem as a truth. It usually lacks any facts that would support it being true. This type of fallacy does not have any logic behind it. As an example, if I said that my boss is stupid. I have no facts that supports that she is stupid and in fact since she is in a management position at the company she is more than likely not stupid. Circular reasoning is an argument that starts with what the person making the argument is try to end up with. For example, my daughter is my child because I am her mother and therefore she is my child. This argument is stating the argument at the beginning and at the end, which makes it a circular reasoning and also a logical argument. Ad hominem is making an argument specifically against an opponent, which makes the argument personal and attacking the person’s character instead of their argument. Also referred to as, an appeal to motive (Bennett, 2012). An example of this would be if two presidential candidates were having a debate and one of the candidates brought up that the other candidate may have used drugs when they were in college. This is attacking the candidate’s character instead of their lack of ability to run the country. Red herring is an argument where an off the subject topic is inserted in an argument to distract someone from the original issue. A good example of this would be if a wife asks her husband why he was late getting home and the husband starts explaining, but then brings

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