Identifying Assumptions, Biases, and Fallacious Thinking M4 Flashcards Preview

Critical Thinking & Logic C168 > Identifying Assumptions, Biases, and Fallacious Thinking M4 > Flashcards

Flashcards in Identifying Assumptions, Biases, and Fallacious Thinking M4 Deck (25)
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1
Q

Activated Ignorance

A

False information that is mistakenly believed to be true and acted upon.

2
Q

Activated Knowledge

A

Truthful information that is employed to pursue more knowledge and/or is acted upon.

3
Q

Ad hominem fallacy

A

Dismissing an argument by attacking the person who offers it rather than by refuting its reasoning.

4
Q

Appeal to authority fallacy

A

To justify support for a position by citing an esteemed or well-known figure who supports it.

5
Q

Appeal to experience fallacy

A

Claiming to speak with the “voice of experience” in support of an argument (even when that experience may not be relevant).

6
Q

Appeal to fear fallacy

A

Citing a threat or possibility of a frightening outcome as the reason for supporting an argument.

7
Q

Appeal to popularity/ popular passions fallacy

A

Citing majority sentiment or popular opinion as the reason for supporting a claim.

8
Q

Attacking evidence fallacy

A

Seeking to falsely discredit the underlying evidence for an argument and thereby questioning its validity.

9
Q

Begging the question

A

Asserting a conclusion that is assumed in the reasoning.

10
Q

Bias

A

A partiality or prejudice that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation.

11
Q

Denying inconsistencies fallacy

A

Refusing to admit contradictions or inconsistencies when making an argument or defending a position.

12
Q

Either-or fallacy

A

Assuming only two alternatives when, in reality, there are more than two.

13
Q

Evading questions fallacy

A

Avoiding direct and truthful answers to difficult questions through diversionary tactics, vagueness, or deliberately confusing or complex responses.

14
Q

Fallacy

A

An error in reasoning.

15
Q

Faulty analogy

A

Drawing an invalid comparison between things for the purpose of either supporting or refuting some position.

16
Q

Hard-cruel-world argument

A

Justifying illegal or unethical practices by arguing that they are necessary to confront a greater evil or threat.

17
Q

Hasty generalization

A

Inferring a general proposition about something based on too small a sample or an unrepresentative sample.

18
Q

Inert Information

A

Memorized information that is not fully understood.

19
Q

Red herring fallacy

A

Introducing an irrelevant point or topic to divert attention from the issue at hand.

20
Q

Search for perfect solution fallacy

A

Asserting that a solution (or argument) is not worth adopting because it does not fix the problem completely.

21
Q

Slippery slope fallacy

A

To suggest that a step or action, once taken, will lead inevitably to similar steps or actions with presumably undesirable consequences.

22
Q

Straw man fallacy

A

Distorting or exaggerating an opponent’s argument so that it might be more easily attacked.

23
Q

Thrown-in statistics fallacy

A

The use of irrelevant, misleading, or questionable statistics to support an argument or defend a position.

24
Q

Treating abstracts as reality fallacy

A

Citing abstract concepts (freedom, justice, science) to support an argument or to call for action.

25
Q

Two wrongs make a right fallacy

A

Defending or justifying our wrong position or conduct by pointing to a similar wrong done by someone else.