The War Against Logical Fallacies

We miss out on reaching favorable agreements when our discussions are addled with logical fallacies. Super bad trip too if we end up being unwitting victims of malicious forces trying to twist our minds. Let us fight misunderstanding and propaganda together by getting to know these logical fallacies.

Fallacies of Relevance

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Ad Hominem (Personal Attack)

    Issue:      Extra-judicial killings with Senator De Lima doing investigation

    Fallacy:    We should not listen to the investigation 

                   because De Lima is an immoral lady.

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Bandwagon Fallacy (The popular idea is correct)

    Issue:     Best approach to combat drug problem

    Fallacy:   Sixteen million people voted for Duterte who promised an all-out                       war on drugs. Therefore, his approach to the drug problem is the 

                  best.

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Fallacy of Composition  (Applying the specific to the whole group)

    Issue:     Patriotism and Constructive Criticism

    Fallacy:   Every Filipino must support his President. Groups of people are 

                  criticizing the President. They are not worthy to be called Filipinos.

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Fallacy of Division (Generalizing from specifics)

    Issue:      Marcos burial at Libingan ng Mga Bayani

    Fallacy:    Duterte won by a simple majority. One of his campaign promises                      was to allow burial of Marcos in Libingan ng Mga Bayani.                                  Therefore, the majority are in favor of the burial.

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Genetic Fallacy  (Arguing based on source, not merit)

   Issue:      Philippine membership in UN

   Fallacy:    As Duterte stated, membership in UN is useless.

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Appeal to Consequences  (of believing or not believing)

   Issue:    Best approach to combat drug problem

   Fallacy:  If you do not support the current drive, you or your family may end 

                up being victims of a drug-related crime.

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Appeal to Pity

    Issue:    Best approach to combat drug problem

    Fallacy:  Hindi ka ba naaawa doon sa batang ni-rape ng drug addict?

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Red Herring  (Throwing another issue to divert attention)

    Issue:      Complying with international agreement on human rights

    Fallacy:    Ano na ba ang nagawa ng UN sa ibang bansa?

                   Nag-apologize ba ang America sa mga moro na napatay dati?

                   Nasaan ang CHR ng ginagahasa yung batang babae?

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Fallacies of Presumption

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Tu Quoque Fallacy (Somebody has done it before, it must be correct)

     Issue:     Wisdom of declaration of State of Lawlessness

     Fallacy:   Gloria has done it before, it must be correct.

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Subjectivist Fallacy  (Dismissing an objective conclusion as subjective)

   Issue:     Death of innocents in the campaign against drugs

   Fallacy:   You are only saying that (that innocents get killed) 

                 because you are a not a supporter of Duterte.

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False Dilemma / Bifurcation Fallacy (Acting as if there are only two alternatives)

    Fallacies:    Anong mas mabuti? Mapatay ang pulis, o mabaril ang pusher?

                     Kung hindi ka sumasang-ayon, hindi ka nakakatulong.

                     Bakit? Ayaw mo bang ma-sugpo ang krimen?

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No True Scotsman Fallacy  

    Issue:     Wisdom of declaration of State of Lawlessness

    Fallacy:   Bakit ka ba kumokontra? Walang tutoong Filipino ang umaayaw sa 

                  pag-sugpo ng terorismo.