Preface | p. xi |
Introduction | p. 1 |
Reasons for Using Good Arguments | p. 1 |
Goals of the Text | p. 2 |
A Code of Intellectual Conduct | p. 4 |
A Code of Conduct for Effective Rational Discussion | p. 5 |
The Fallibility Principle | p. 5 |
The Truth-Seeking Principle | p. 5 |
The Clarity Principle | p. 5 |
The Burden of Proof Principle | p. 5 |
The Principle of Charity | p. 5 |
The Relevance Principle | p. 6 |
The Acceptability Principle | p. 6 |
The Sufficiency Principle | p. 6 |
The Rebuttal Principle | p. 6 |
The Resolution Principle | p. 6 |
The Suspension of Judgment Principle | p. 6 |
The Reconsideration Principle | p. 6 |
The Fallibility Principle | p. 7 |
The Truth-Seeking Principle | p. 8 |
The Clarity Principle | p. 9 |
Guide Questions | p. 10 |
What is an Argument? | p. 11 |
An Argument Is a Claim Supported by Other Claims | p. 11 |
Distinguishing Argument from Opinion | p. 12 |
The Burden of Proof Principle | p. 13 |
The Standard Form of an Argument | p. 14 |
The Principle of Charity | p. 16 |
Deductive Versus Inductive Strength of Arguments | p. 17 |
Moral Arguments | p. 19 |
Guide Questions | p. 22 |
What is a Good Argument? | p. 23 |
A Good Argument Must Meet Four Criteria | p. 23 |
The Relevance Principle | p. 23 |
The Acceptability Principle | p. 25 |
Criteria of Acceptability | p. 26 |
Conditions of Unacceptability | p. 27 |
The Sufficiency Principle | p. 28 |
The Rebuttal Principle | p. 29 |
Making Arguments Stronger | p. 31 |
Applying the Criteria to Arguments | p. 31 |
Constructing Good Arguments | p. 37 |
The Resolution Principle | p. 38 |
The Suspension of Judgment Principle | p. 40 |
The Reconsideration Principle | p. 40 |
Guide Questions | p. 40 |
What is a Fallacy? | p. 42 |
A Fallacy Is a Violation of a Criterion of a Good Argument | p. 42 |
Named Versus Unnamed Fallacies | p. 43 |
Organization of the Fallacies | p. 44 |
Attacking the Fallacy | p. 46 |
Rules of the Game | p. 49 |
Guide Questions | p. 50 |
Fallacies That Violate the Relevance Criterion | p. 51 |
Fallacies of Irrelevance | p. 51 |
Irrelevant or Questionable Authority | p. 51 |
Appeal to Common Opinion | p. 54 |
Genetic Fallacy | p. 55 |
Rationalization | p. 57 |
Drawing the Wrong Conclusion | p. 59 |
Using the Wrong Reasons | p. 61 |
Exercises | p. 63 |
Irrelevant Emotional Appeals | p. 65 |
Appeal to Pity | p. 65 |
Appeal to Force or Threat | p. 67 |
Appeal to Tradition | p. 69 |
Appeal to Personal Circumstances | p. 71 |
Exploitation of Strong Feelings | p. 73 |
Use of Flattery | p. 75 |
Assigning Guilt by Association | p. 76 |
Exercises | p. 78 |
Additional Exercises | p. 79 |
Fallacies That Violate the Acceptability Criterion | p. 82 |
Fallacies of Linguistic Confusion | p. 82 |
Equivocation | p. 83 |
Ambiguity | p. 85 |
Improper Accent | p. 87 |
Illicit Contrast | p. 89 |
Argument by Innuendo | p. 91 |
Misuse of a Vague Expression | p. 93 |
Distinction Without a Difference | p. 95 |
Exercises | p. 97 |
Begging-the-Question Fallacies | p. 98 |
Arguing in a Circle | p. 98 |
Question-Begging Language | p. 100 |
Complex Question | p. 102 |
Leading Question | p. 104 |
Question-Begging Definition | p. 106 |
Exercises | p. 107 |
Unwarranted Assumption Fallacies | p. 109 |
Fallacy of the Continuum | p. 110 |
Fallacy of Composition | p. 112 |
Fallacy of Division | p. 114 |
False Alternatives | p. 115 |
Is-Ought Fallacy | p. 117 |
Wishful Thinking | p. 118 |
Misuse of a Principle | p. 120 |
Fallacy of the Mean | p. 121 |
Faulty Analogy | p. 123 |
Fallacy of Novelty | p. 125 |
Exercises | p. 127 |
Additional Exercises | p. 128 |
Fallacies That Violate the Sufficiency Criterion | p. 131 |
Fallacies of Missing Evidence | p. 131 |
Insufficient Sample | p. 131 |
Unrepresentative Data | p. 133 |
Arguing from Ignorance | p. 135 |
Contrary-to-Fact Hypothesis | p. 138 |
Fallacy of Popular Wisdom | p. 140 |
Inference from a Name or Description | p. 142 |
Fallacy of Impossible Precision | p. 143 |
Special Pleading | p. 145 |
Omission of Key Evidence | p. 147 |
Exercises | p. 148 |
Causal Fallacies | p. 150 |
Confusion of a Necessary with a Sufficient Condition | p. 150 |
Causal Oversimplification | p. 152 |
Post Hoc Fallacy | p. 153 |
Confusion of Cause and Effect | p. 155 |
Neglect of a Common Cause | p. 157 |
Domino Fallacy | p. 158 |
Gambler's Fallacy | p. 159 |
Exercises | p. 161 |
Additional Exercises | p. 163 |
Fallacies That Violate the Rebuttal Criterion | p. 166 |
Fallacies of Counterevidence | p. 167 |
Denying the Counterevidence | p. 167 |
Ignoring the Counterevidence | p. 169 |
Exercises | p. 171 |
Ad Hominem Fallacies | p. 172 |
Abusive Ad Hominem | p. 172 |
Poisoning the Well | p. 174 |
Tu Quoque Fallacy | p. 176 |
Exercises | p. 178 |
Fallacies of Diversion | p. 179 |
Attacking a Straw Man | p. 179 |
Trivial Objections | p. 181 |
Red Herring | p. 183 |
Diversionary Humor or Ridicule | p. 185 |
Exercises | p. 186 |
Additional Exercises | p. 187 |
Glossary of Fallacies | p. 191 |
Answers to Selected Exercises | p. 197 |
Index | p. 205 |
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