Friday, November 16, 2012
One Concept: Avoinding Fallacies in Arguments
This week I decided to write about fallacies in an argument. I think it is very important to know and understand what a fallacy is because not only do you want to avoid using them in your own speech or argument, but you also want to be able to detect them in other peoples arguments so that you don't succumb to false information. A fallacy is an error in making an argument. It could be a faulty assertion, flawed evidence, defective reasoning or an erroneous response. Both speakers and listeners should be aware of fallacies. They can appear valid and reasonable but upon closer inspection, would not hold up. Including fallacies in a speech, even if it is unintentional, reflects poorly on the speaker and is unethical. If you are unaware of your error in the argument you are trying to make, that means you probably did not do thorough research. And if you are aware of your fallacy, but include it anyways, that means you are trying to get your audience to believe and support something that is untrue. As an audience member, you have to listen to what your speaker says, but maybe not believe everything they say until they can truly back it up, or even until you do some research on your own.
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Hey Taylor,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you; we must know how to detect fallacies and know what they are. It is sometimes a bit challenging to find them during speeches, especially if one is not paying attention. For example, when we did our informative speeches last month I tried to pay attention but was so distracted by my own speech I had to present that same evening that I hardly could keep track with the material presented. Lol. Like you stated, a fallacy can appear reasonable, but really it is not supported. It is probably the case that some speakers present erroneous data and present it as true...unethical indeed. Anyway, great post.
I thought it was great that you decided to address fallacies in speeches. As speakers and as an audience we may sometimes fail to know whats true or not; as speakers through false research sometimes being available and as an audience as taking a speakers every word to hold credible. As a speaker to prevent fallacies we must use proper research techniques so that we are not presenting false information and further presenting false information to our audience, who sees us as a credible source. I also agree that the audience must have a keen eye to detect such things so that they don't misinterpret information. It is very unethical for a speaker to know that they are presenting false information.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the importance of understanding logical fallacies. If more people were aware of fallacies, they would be less likely to believe things just because somebody told them or they heard it on television. Then again, what would all of the political television and radio pundits do when everyone realized how flawed their arguments were and stopped listening to them? I suppose that will never happen as most people are not interested in educating themselves in regards to rhetoric or, more specifically, fallacies. At least I am glad to know that you and people like you are out there who are educated and put their knowledge to good use.
ReplyDeleteI think the whole “fallacy” issue is pretty interesting. What I find to be particularly interesting is that sometimes speakers can be reciting fallacies without even knowing it. However, as long as the speaker properly researches their content and gives sources, they should be able to avoid unintentionally giving misinformation. This is why it’s so important to dedicate the proper time and attention to your research. It would be terrible to be inadvertently giving out incorrect information and ending up damaging your credibility and/or rapport with the audience. This could jeopardize the integrity of your entire speech. So in light of what you have to lose, I think it is well worth the extra time and effort to make sure your sources are credible, and information is correct.
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