Debate and Fallacies of Reasoning Ms Moser What

Debate and Fallacies of Reasoning Ms. Moser

What is debate? How is debate different from arguing? From a discussion? What is the definition of debate? DEBATE: Noun a formal, structured discussion on a particular topic in which opposing arguments are put forward Complete a Venn Diagram analyzing the difference between a debate and an argument.

Debate Terms Case- This is your team’s arguments with your evidence. It starts with an outline and then, when it is all fleshed out, it’s called a case. Resolved- If you are resolved, you are determined to do something. Therefore, the resolved statement is the THESIS statement of your entire case. Contentions- The main arguments your side makes. These are written in your case. The word contentious means _________________ Refute--to prove a statement or theory is wrong or false; disprove.

Teams and terms Affirmative Team-- In a policy debate, this is the team that is advocating for a CHANGE in the current policy. Negative Team-- In a policy debate, this is the team advocating for things to remain the way they are. Status Quo--The way things are currently. Burden of Proof--The affirmative team has to prove that the status quo isn’t working and needs to change. In the case of a tie, the negative team wins because status quo is on their side-the current situation is working.

Judging a Debate Tabula Rasa--Pink Tablet, literally. Figuratively it means blank slate. An absence of preconceived ideas or predetermined winner. When judging a debate, you can only listen to what is introduced in a debate to determine a winner. Students are judged on Evidence, Persuasiveness, Organization, Delivery, Comprehension, Rebuttals, and Cross examination Flow--a flow chart of each aspect of the debate--usually taken on a piece of paper divided into four sections.

Example of a flow sheet

Logic Formal logic or deductive reasoning should not be confused with informal logic or inductive reasoning. In formal logic, if the premises are true, the conclusion necessarily follows. In informal logic, there is always an “inferential leap” that is made. Most everyday arguments rely on inductive reasoning or informal logic. Define deductive and inductive reasoning.

Deductive vs Inductive Deductive Reasoning All cats have nine lives Felix is a cat Therefore, Felix has nine lives All Zorabs are Nimtotes No Nimtotes are Wing Lings Therefore No Zorabs are Wing Lings. Inductive Reasoning ● If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. ● Loretta got teary-eyed when she got her exam back, so I guess she got a bad grade.

Types of Evidence Empirical Evidence that is based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience. Statistical Evidence that uses facts or statistics. Logical Evidence that accounts for the rules of logic or formal argument. Anecdotal Evidence based on personal accounts rather than facts or research.

Appeals Ethos Appeal to authority, credibility or “ethics” Pathos Appeal to emotion Logos Appeal to logic

Gathering evidence for your side of the debate 1. Start by brainstorming a list of points you know you will make in favor of your side. 2. The big points will be the contentions and the smaller ones fit underneath the contentions called sub points. 3. When you find a piece of evidence, write a brief summary (1 short sentence) of what that evidence proves” in the summary column. Then copy the quote (and who said it) into the quote section and the website and author information into that column. 4. Then, you simply need to organize this into your case.

Evidence Chart

Gathering evidence to argue the other side 1. These arguments are called counter arguments. 2. You need to brainstorm what the other side is sure to argue and then find evidence to prove them wrong. 3. These need to be organized in a different way. 4. Brainstorm their points and put that under “they say” and then what will you argue? Put that under “we say” and then find evidence to prove your point. 5. Continue to keep track of the author/source/website.

Counter-evidence Chart

Examples of Debates This is a news story about a high school debate team and it shows an example of a policy debate. Note that the purpose of this debate is to put forth as many arguments as you can.

A Lincoln-Douglas Debate This is a Lincoln-Douglas Debate-This is usually a values debate and it is more about delivery, argumentation, and good persuasive skills. Evidence is not as important. NOTE: We are doing a policy debate but our delivery method is more like a Lincoln-Douglas Debate.

Some additional ideas This is a good website that explains things really well. Note: We are doing a modified debate for a classroom so not everything applies. http: //everydaydebate. blogspot. com/2011/09/elements-of-debate-crossexamination. html

Fallacies of Reasoning • Fallacies are defects that weaken arguments. • First, fallacious arguments are very, very common and can be quite persuasive, at least to the casual reader or listener. • Second, it is sometimes hard to evaluate whether an argument is fallacious. • An argument might be very weak, somewhat strong, or very strong. An argument that has several stages or parts might have some strong sections and some weak ones.

Hasty Generalization • Definition: Making assumptions about a whole group or range of cases based on a sample that is inadequate (usually because it is atypical or just too small). –Stereotypes about people ("frat boys are drunkards, " "grad students are nerdy, " etc. ) are a common example of the principle underlying hasty generalization. • Example: "My roommate said her philosophy class was hard, and the one I'm in is hard, too. All philosophy classes must be hard!" –Two people's experiences are, in this case, not enough on which to base a conclusion.

Hasty Generalization

Bandwagon • Definition: To attempt to sway or persuade an individual or group to “get on board” by appealing to the group mentality in all humans. • Example: Come to Elvis’s birth place. Fifty million Elvis fans can’t be wrong! Of course they can. The merit of Elvis is not related to how many people like him or his music.

Bandwagon l. Millions of people smoke. Therefore smoking must not be bad for people. l. All the really smart people take AP Literature. You should take it too.

Strawman • Definition: To anticipate and respond in advance to the arguments that an opponent might make. The arguer sets up a wimpy version of the opponent’s position and tries to score point by knocking it down. • Example: What women in her right mind would support total equality with men. No women wants the right to go to war or the right to pay alimony! Oversimplifying the issue. Equality does not mean for every situation, but many people would agree with it.

Strawman It might sound like you are combating the argument, but you aren’t. You’ve just beat the strawman, a much easier argument to knock down.

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc • Definition: After the fact, therefore because of the fact. These arguments that assume a faulty causal relationship. One event following another in time doens’t mean that the first event caused the second. • Example: On June 15, 2006 Dick Cheney claimed our success in Iraq is why terrorists haven’t struck the U. S. again. n. But Cheney has no actual proof that any attacks have been thwarted. Perhaps the terrorists are just biding their time?

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

Slippery Slope Definition: If “A” happens, then “B” will happen, and then “C, D, and E” will certainly happen, so don’t do “A”. • Example: “If we force grade school kids to wear uniforms, then next it will be high school students, and pretty soon college students and then all workers will be required to wear uniforms. ”

Slippery Slope “Once marriage is no longer confined to a man and a woman, it is impossible to exclude virtually any relationship between two or more partners of either sex--even non-human ‘partners. ’” Timothy J. Daly, The Slippery Slope of Same Sex Marriage, Family Research Council But society can take one step (legalizing same sex marriage) without taking any other steps (legalizing polygamy, bestiality, or incest) As an example, setting the legal age for marriage, without parental consent, at age at 18 hasn’t spawned a movement for legal marriage at age 15. As another example, being allowed to marry a 1 st cousin didn’t produce a clamor to marry brothers and sisters.

Ad Hominem • Definition: “To the Man” Attacking the person instead of their argument. –You refute someone’s claim by questioning their character or past actions. • Example: –Senator Jones was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, so his proposal to limit military spending has no merit.

Ad Hominem

Begging the Question • Definition: Also called circular logic. The evidence for the argument is just a reworded version of the same argument. should not be allowed to park in lots now reserved for faculty because those lots should be for faculty only. • Example: –Students

Circular Reasoning Examples: These movies are popular because they make so much money. They make a lot of money because everyone likes them. Everyone likes them because they are so popular.

Red Herring • Definition: An argument that focuses on an irrelevant issue to detract attention from the real issue. • Example: Reporters are out to get the president, so it’s no wonder we are hearing rumors about these scandals.

Red Herring The term comes from the sport of fox hunting in which a dried, smoked herring, which is red in color, is dragged across the trail of the fox to throw the hounds off the scent.

Either/or (False Dilemma) • Definition: Reducing a complicated issue to black and white choices. Most issues have a number of choices for resolution. • Example: You either believe in the right to bear arms or you think all guns should be banned.

Either/or (False Dilemma) Either learn how to program a computer, or you won’t be able to get a decent job after college

Non-sequitur • Definition: An argument where the conclusion does not follow from the premises or evidence on which it is based. –Meaning “not sequential or it does not follow” • Example: “How can I be racist? I drive a Prius!” says Julia Louise Dreyfuss’ character in the TV show The New Adventures of Old Christine

Non-sequitur –Mary loves children, so she will make an excellent school teacher.

Appeal to Authority • The ad verecundiam fallacy consists of an appeal to irrelevant authority, that is, an ‘authority’ who is not an authority in the field of question (or at least one we have no reason to believe to be such an authority). –Oprah says that she won’t eat beef, therefore you shouldn’t eat beef.

Appeal to Authority Anna Nicole Smith was the celebrity spokesperson for Trim Spa. But she was hardly an expert on fitness or nutrition. Did the fact that she was a paid endorser affect her opinion of the product? Did she have any extra help such as a personal trainer? Could the other drugs she was taking have produced her weight loss?

QUIZ What fallacy is being used here?

QUIZ What fallacy is being used here?

QUIZ What fallacy is being used here?

QUIZ You shouldn’t accept national health care because it is a socialist idea. 1. Redherring 2. Ad hominem 3. Begging the question/circular argument 4. Hasty generalization

QUIZ The women in my family love babies. All women love babies. 1. Bandwagon 2. Hasty generalization 3. Ad hominem 4. Begging the question/circular argument

QUIZ In a democracy the people are free because democracies are free countries. 1. Ad Hominem 2. Red herring 3. Begging the question/circular argument 4. Hasty generalization

QUIZ If you don't finish your homework you won't get a good grade. Then you won't be able to get into the college you want. You will become unemployed and end up cleaning toilets for a living. 1. Slippery slope/ domino theory 2. Ad hominem 3. Begging the question/circular argument

QUIZ How could anyone vote for Hilary Clinton for president? The fact that she is married to Bill Clinton proves that she has no self respect. 1. Red herring 2. Slippery slope 3. Ad hominem 4. Hasty generalization

QUIZ Women need to be either brilliant or beautiful to survive in this world. 1. Red herring 2. Begging the question/circular argument 3. Ad hominem 4. False dilemma (either-or)

QUIZ Those who favor gun-control legislation just want to take all guns away from responsible citizens and put them into the hands of the criminals. 1. Slippery slope 2. False dilemma (either-or) 3. Begging the question/circular argument 4. Strawman

QUIZ I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the hit series “ER. ” You can take it from me that when you need a fast acting, effective and safe pain killer there is nothing better than Morphi. Dope 2000. 1. Slippery slope 2. False dilemma (either-or) 3. Appeal to authority

QUIZ Water fluoridation affects the brain. Citywide, student’s test scores began to drop five months after fluoridation began. 1. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc 2. Bandwagon 3. Appeal to authority 4. Slippery Slope

QUIZ Plagiarism is deceitful because it is dishonest. 1. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc 2. Bandwagon 3. Begging the Question 4. Slippery Slope

QUIZ It is ridiculous to have spent thousands of dollars to rescue those two whales trapped in the Arctic ice. Why don’t we look at all the people trapped in jobs they don’t like? 1. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc 2. Bandwagon 3. Begging the Question

QUIZ Animal experimentation reduces our respect for life. If we don't respect life, we are likely to be more and more tolerant of violent acts like war and murder. Soon our society will become a battlefield in which everyone constantly fears for their lives. It will be the end of civilization. To prevent this terrible consequence, we should make animal experimentation illegal right now. 1. Slippery Slope 2. Bandwagon 3. Begging the Question 4. Red Herring