A couple of weeks later, the chief called the Weather Service again and asked how the winter was looking at that point. The meteorologists said, “We're now forecasting that it will be one of the coldest winters on record!” “Really!” said the chief. “How can you be so sure?”
The meteorologist replied, “The Indians are collecting wood like crazy!”
The chief's evidence for the need to stock more wood turns out to be that he was stocking more wood. Fortunately, he was using a circular saw.
***
Argument from Respect for Authority Fallacy
The argument from respect for authority is one of our boss's favorite arguments. Citing authority to support your argument is no logical fallacy in and of itself; expert opinion is legitimate evidence alongside other evidence. What is fallacy is using respect for authority as the sole confirmation of your position, despite convincing evidence to the contrary.
Ted meets his friend Al and exclaims, “Al! I heard you died!”
“Hardly,” says Al, laughing, “As you can see I am very much alive.”
“Impossible,” says Ted. “The man who told me is much more reliable than you.”
What is always at play with arguments from authority is whom one accepts as a legitimate authority.
A man walks into a pet shop and asks to see the parrots.
The shop owner shows him the two beautiful ones out on the floor. “This one is $5,000 and the other is $10,000,” he says.
“Wow!” says the man. “What does the $5,000 one do?”
“This parrot can sing every aria Mozart wrote,” says the store owner.
“And the other?”
... “He sings entire Wagner's Ring cycle. There is another one out back for $30,000.”
“Holy moley1! What does he do?”
“Nothing that I've heard. But the other two call him ‘Maestro'”
/from Plato and a Platypus>2 Walk into a Bar. Understanding philosophy through jokes' by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein. Penguin Books. London. 2008/
Expression of surprise утконос
TASK 3
Make a list of logical tools to be applied and of logical fallacies to be avoided.
| Logical tools (1) | Logical fallacies (2) |
| |
TASK 4
Read the sentences below and check them against the list above. Point out logical tools and logical fallacies.
1. Monarchy is the best form of government for Great Britain because Great Britain has always been a monarchy.
2. Monarchy is one of the oldest forms of government, which has become obsolete in most European countries. However, the British monarchy has survived and continually kept its position. Hence, the British monarchy has a greater capacity for adjustment.
