Fallacy Hunt

BP Debate:

 

 This House Believes that acts of violence to protect the Environment souled be justified.

 

PM Speech

 

Fallacy #1

Comparing wars in the past to why violence should be okay in the future over the environment. ---This is a Logical Fallacy specifically False Analogy --- You cannot compare wars over people's lives such as WWI or WWII to justify having war over the environment. It's also foolish to make that argument since it would be just as harmful if not more harmful to have a war over the environment trying to protect certain parts of it.

 

Fallacy #2

Shell cooperation in Nigeria "flaring gas while drilling causing the people to have cancer." --- This is a Material Fallacy specifically Reference to authority. --- It is not common knowledge what goes on in Nigeria and how the gas companies operate. Also, that's a cute story with no credibility or authority.

 

Fallacy #3

Violence should be an option to protect the environment. --- This is a Logical Fallacy specifically common sense. --- You cannot fight evil with evil. To protect the environment using violence is an oxymoron to the goal that you want to accomplish.

 

Margaret Thatcher Speech

 

Fallacy #4

The opposition leader said that there is more teachers than ever before in UK school systems. --- This is a Material Fallacy specifically Sample unrepresentative. --- Margaret responded by explained how the population rose and how there are more students than ever before in school systems and in higher education, so that is not a credible positive attribute to give to the Opposition Leader.

 

Fallacy #5

Citizens owning houses are not better because of a particular story that a man is being evicted from his home because he cannot pay his mortgage. --- This is a Logical fallacy specifically Single Cause. --- This is one situation and one circumstances and that owning your own home is actually better for the economy.

 

 

Sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDpKySqNRpM&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbCQMiXdcCw

 

Assignment:

 

1. Describe the context of the speech or debate. Restate or quote the example. 2. Label the example as one of the fallacies or show what specific test of evidence that it violates. 3. Refute the fallacy, saying what you think is wrong with it. So, you should have five examples of fallacies and five ways to refute the fallacy.