Topic 4- A Miscellany of Arguments

In this topic we shall examine various kinds of arguments that do not fall under any of our current categories. We will also examine various kinds of problems that can arise in argumentation and in the assessment of arguments.

Section 1: Some Common Kinds

 
  • Straw Man, Ignorance and Begging the Question

    • Here we considered various ways of arguing, most of which are problematic at best. Particularly in heated contexts there is a tendency to resort to straw man arguments, that is those in which one attributes to one's opponent a position that he or she does not hold.
    We then turned to various arguments from ignorance. We noted that the absence of evidence against a claim does not typically make it reasonable to accept that claim.
    We noted that in accusing an argument of begging the question, or of being circular, we are not commenting upon the truth or falsity of either the premises or the conclusion. The problem is rather that the argument does not give one an "independent" reason to accept the conclusion.

    Section 2: Semantic Pitfalls

  • Ambiguity and Equivocation

    • Ambiguities and equivocation are often harmless, although they can sometimes lead to misunderstandings that are at least mildly humerous. For example, a North American, upon hearing that the Brazilian soccer team is having problems with its strikers might well conclude that there is labor strife. Of course on a soccer team a striker is an offensive player whose primary responsibility is to score. The term 'football' has led to misunderstanding since different games are called that in different parts of the world. Upon watching a World Cup football match some North Americans wonder why the players don't pick up the ball and run.
    But on occasion we do encounter more serious cases of the fallacy of equivocation. As was noted in the text 'possible' and 'theory' are particularly problematic cases. You should be very wary, for example, when you hear someone say:

         That's only a theory.

    Often this will represent a misunderstanding of, for example, the sense in which evolutionary theory is a theory.

    Quizzes

    Covering Section 1

  • Quiz 1

    • Covering Section 2

  • Quiz 2

    • Comprehensive

  • Quiz 3