Topic outline
Learning to Spot Common Logical Fallacies
Learning to Spot Common Logical Fallacies
by Dr. Roy Clouser and Henry Reyenga
As you read the Bible and communicate with others, you may want to avoid common logical fallacies. Professor Henry Reyenga interviews Philosopher Dr. Roy Clouser to go over 15 common logical fallacies.
Course Outcomes:
Learn what different Logical Fallacies are and how to spot them. Here are 15 common ones this mini-course will feature:
- Ad Hominem
- Strawman Argument
- Appeal to Ignorance
- False Dilemma
- Slippery Slope Fallacy
- Circular Argument
- Hasty Generalization
- Red Herring Fallacy
- Tu Quoque
- Causal Fallacy
- The fallacy of Sunk Costs
- Appeal to Authority
- Equivocation
- Appeal to Pity
- Bandwagon Fallacy
Forums:
Post in 2 Forums. You will get a completion check indicating you have posted reflections also read and engage with the comments of others.
Quiz:
After you complete viewing the materials and posting your reflections there is a feedback quiz. The quiz will help us evaluate the effectiveness of the mini-course.
Section 1
Reflection Questions:
1. Can you think of a time you had an experience with one of the logical fallacies in this section (ad hominem, strawman, appeal to ignorance, slippery slope, false dilemma, or circular argument)? Share your experience. If you haven't had an experience with any of these, how do you think you could tackle a situation in which one of these fallacies was being used?
2. We often see these logical fallacies on a grand scale (in politics, economics, public policy, etc.), but do you think they are used on a smaller scale also? How could the knowledge of spotting logical fallacies be applied in your everyday life, especially as a Christian?
3. How does knowledge of logical fallacies relate to InfluenceSmart (how to influence others) and PeopleSmart skills (how to positively relate to and connect with others)?
Section 2
1. Can you think of a time you had an experience with one of the logical fallacies in this section (hasty generalization, red herring, tu quoque, causal, sunk cost, appeal to authority, equivocation, appeal to pity, or bandwagon)? Share your experience. If you haven't had an experience with any of these, how do you think you could tackle a situation in which one of these fallacies was being used?
2. In this section, President Reyenga talks about being 'PeopleSmart' in our listening skills. What does the Bible have to say about listening? Listening is important in how we might interpret or correct someone's reasoning. What do you think is the biblical way to correct someone?
3. Logic and arguments are often perceived as tools for being persuasive. Do you think it is important to be persuasive as a Christian? Dr. Clouser and President Reyenga discuss the importance of presenting the truth. How do persuasion and truth relate to each other? Is persuasion the same thing as presenting something in a loving, winning way?
Interested in learning more about this topic?
Check out our full-length course on Logic and Critical Thinking! Click here.
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