Discussion 1 Prompt: Your Most Common Fallacy
We have all committed fallacies at one point or another in our lives, so for this discussion we ask you to reflect on the fallacy that you find that you commit the most frequently.
Reflect: Reflect on the fallacies that you read in your text and find the one that you feel that you commit the most. Think about how frequently you have committed the fallacy and what kinds of things tend to lead you to committing it.
Write: Present an example of an argument (or arguments) that you have made that commits that particular fallacy. Present the reasoning in standard form. Evaluate your argument(s) by indicating the name of the fallacy that you committed and explaining why this argument is fallacious. What might you do to avoid committing that type of fallacy in the future? How might learning to avoid this fallacy benefit your life?
Guided Response: In addition to your original post, post a minimum of three responses for a total of at least four posts. At least two responses must be to your classmates; the third response could be to a classmate or your instructor. Be sure to post on three separate days throughout the week to promote further engagement and discussion. Each response should be a minimum of 75 words.
In the course of your responses, you might comment on the following types of questions: Have you noticed other examples of the fallacy that your classmate presents? Why do you suppose that people are prone to make errors of this type? What else might people keep in mind to learn to reason better in such cases?
Reply:
For response 1:
My Most Common Fallacy
Sonic Customer: Are You the Manager?
Myself: Yes, I am the Manager?
Sonic Customer: Are you guys hiring?
Myself: Yes, we are hiring, but…
Sonic Customer (Before I could finish my sentence): I really need a job. I’ve been looking everywhere! Can you help me get this job?
Myself: If I was the hiring manager, I would most definitely give you a chance, since you seem so determined to work here. I am actually the Assistant Manager here, but you can go to our website and submit an application.
The most common fallacy that I described above is equivocation. I stated that I was the manager, but it wasn’t clear if I was the hiring manager (GM), or the assistant. I commit this fallacy on a daily basis, simply because people see you as a manager, and say, okay, maybe she can hire me. It’s so not the case, but I will put in a good word for you. What I can do to avoid committing this fallacy is as soon as they ask am I the manager, I should say I am the assistant manager. I could ask them how may I assist them, and it will keep down my committing of this fallacy. It would benefit my life by me knowing I won’t continue to get a person’s hopes up thinking I’m a general manager who actually handles all the hard work.
Laquanda P.
Response 2:
After reading this week’s textbook and watching the supporting videos, it was clear that I’m guilty of committing a particular “appeal to pity” at work recently.
Appeal to Pity Example in a conversation with one of my employees:
It would be really great if you could pick up an extra shift this weekend.
If not, I’ll be stressed out trying to find appropriate coverage all week.
And your coworkers will be upset that they might not get their full lunch and break coverage.
This argument is fallacious because I’m making my appeal to my employee to cover an open shift or a call out by using emotion to try and make them say yes. It’s as if I’m trying to make them feel guilty if they don’t pick up the extra shift because it would stress me out as well as their other colleagues. By no means is this my intention, and I need to be aware of how I approach these conversations. I never want my employees to think that I’m taking advantage or pushing them into taking an extra shift they really do not want, so I need to be cognizant of the fact that they may feel guilty and say yes when I phrase arguments in this manner.
As staffing challenges arise, I will always have to continue to ask employees to pick up or change their shifts, but this can be accomplished by using different words and sticking with only facts related to the shift or the bonus to entice them and not blindside them with an emotion plea, which is unfair. This may benefit me in the future and I may have better luck by filling open shifts quicker and easier if employees don’t think I’ll lay a guilt trip on them each time. They may be more willing to volunteer.
-Kelley
Response 3:
Hello everyone,
I find that I am most guilty of using appeal to inadequate authority, especially when dealing with my patients at work. I am trained and skilled at what I do in the healthcare field; therefore, my guidance and counsel are true and correct.
An example of a conversation that I had the other day with a patient:
Ms. K, you can not use your breathing treatment and smoke simultaneously and especially not around your oxygen.
This is an appeal to inadequate authority in the sense that I am trained to take care of my patients. I know for a fact that trying to smoke and use a breathing machine simultaneously is counterproductive, and they cancel each other out. Smoking while oxygen is in use is not only dangerous but could be potentially deadly.
I can avoid using this fallacy because, yes, I am trained as a caregiver. Although I am aware of the potential repercussions, I am not a licensed pulmonary specialist. I am not qualified to work on or calibrate a standard oxygen machine to give factual guidance.
Therefore, I am simply giving an opinion; although I have my patient’s best interest at heart, I am not a true expert in these subjects.
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