Entry 4 - Nguyễn Bích Khuê

Entry 4

Argument Structures and Fallacies

Item 1: Structures Fallacies: Valid vs invalid

1.

Anyone who lives in the city Honolulu, HI also lives on the island of Oahu.
Kanoe does not live in the city Honolulu, HI.
Therefore, Kanoe does not live on the island of Oahu.
 
 2.
Anyone who lives in the city Honolulu, HI also lives on the island of Oahu.
Kanoe lives in the city of Honolulu, HI.
Therefore, Kanoe lives on the island of Oahu.
Source:  http://home.honolulu.hawaii.edu/~pine/Phil110/validsup.htm
Analysis:

·        Item 1 pattern:

 If A, then B
Not A
Therefore, not B

ð This argument is deductively invalid

·        Item 2 pattern:

If A, then B
A
Therefore, B

ð This argument is deductively valid

Item 2: Slippery slope
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv0WObHlF70

 
Analysis: The two girls in the video are talking about how 1 bad choice can lead to a very unhappy life
The girl in orange’s argument: if you don’t get good grade at college -> you probably won’t get a job -> you’ll be stressed about money-> you’ll drink -> you’ll hit your spouse, child, friends or pet -> you might get caught-> jail or prison.
This argument is invalid. The fallacy here is slippery rope. It starts with an insufficent premise: “you have to get good grade to get a job” and leads to false premises.
If you don’t get good grade at college –hidden premise: you have to get good grade to get a job
=>You won’t get a job- insufficient premise

=>You’ll be stressed about money – insufficient premise

 =>You’ll drink- insufficient premise

=> Hit your spouse...- insufficient premise

=> Get caught

 =>you’ll be sent to prison :

 =>unhappy life

Item 3:  Appeal to tradition

Source: http://www.google.com.vn/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=3I6&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1366&bih=639&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=XRImFX7cE_QXLM:&imgrefurl=http://gaffezette.wordpress.com/&docid=cl1iXjNbpjSEbM&imgurl=http://gaffezette.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/jam.png&w=300&h=300&ei=LFCrUNv0D_G8iAel4IGQBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=497&vpy=146&dur=407&hovh=211&hovw=211&tx=122&ty=139&sig=103399167249063442649&page=1&tbnh=142&tbnw=142&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:69
Analysis: The ad shows Stoneham Hedgeron jam with the line written “ The same recipe Grandma used”
The advertiser wants to emphasize that their product is good and should be chosen because it is made using the old recipe. It is appeal to tradition that the old recipe which Grandma used is the best and it guarantees the jam’s quality. In fact, what makes the jam better than other products must be its qualified ingredients, price and other factors.