Fallacy

Fallacy

Introduction

Fallacies are encountered frequently in every day arguments. "An argument is fallacious when it contains one or more logical fallacies. A logical fallacy - or fallacy, for short - is an argument that contains a mistake in reasoning.

Logical fallacies indicate a "mistake in reasoning" as stated by Bashham, Irwin, Nardone, and Wallace (2002). In terms of critical thinking and decision-making these fallacies are seen due to psychological influences that this mistake in reasoning may cause. As we have learned from our text and coursework, critical thinking and decision making are directly correlated to sound decisions that are based on accurate information. In examining the following three fallacies, I will illustrate how the miscalculation of thought processes and lack of critical thinking demonstrate incomplete decisions, whether it by the arguer or the person presented with the fallacy. Overall, the lack of investigation of facts and specific details demonstrate a willingness to ignore the pertinent information and often times result in visibly unsound decisions or misinterpreted information to the recipient.

Discussion

As stated by Bashham, Irwin, Nardone, and Wallace (2002, a generalization is a statement that asserts that all or most things of a certain kind have a certain property or characteristic. An example of this fallacy taking place in our society was after September 11, 2001. Residents and citizens of the United States with roots in the Middle East were looked at with suspicion and anxiety. In general, all Middle Eastern natives were seen as possible terrorists, even though our internal voices said something different, at least for most of us. The effect of the tragedy was the prejudicial viewpoints and racial profiling that occurred. There were specific incidents of violence and assault on those people sent to have Middle Eastern heritage. Just after 9/11, the National Academy on Public Administration held a forum to discuss the impact to specific ethnic groups. In reading the minutes, I found this very succinctly put summary of the issue:

Profiling, or discriminatory treatment based on racial or ethnic background, has involved not only stopping people on the highways but also stopping and frisking people on the street or in other situations where police interact with residents. This has been particularly common in places where people congregate, especially in low income inner city and black neighborhoods where drug use, drug sales, or other criminal violations have been reported. Since September 11, with the increased concerns about terrorism, more public attention is going to incidents of profiling based on perceived ethnic background or religion. (http://www.napawash.org)

In relation to critical thinking and decision making, it is imperative that facts and accurate information is acquired-for sound decision making. The above example indicates that a hasty generalization can cause unnecessary hardship for individuals and families as well as erode the foundation of critical thinking. This can happen when fallacies are adopted as critical thinking and eventually lead to incorrect decision-making action. For example, in most decision-making models, obtaining information and gathering facts is a critical step in identifying alternative ...