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| Jan 1, 1996 | » | The Fine Art of Baloney Detection [Sagan]
2 min; updated Sep 5, 2022
Unfalsifiable but favorable propositions invite baloney. For example, one might want to believe in life after death, without being interested in evidence for it. However, one shouldn’t validate the pretensions of mediums on such a belief. |
| Sep 6, 2016 | » | Formal & Red Herring Fallacies
3 min; updated Sep 5, 2022
Argument from ConsequencesIf God does not exist, then everything is permitted. Straw ManThe essence of this technique is to caricature a position to make it easier to attack. My opponent is trying to convince you that we evolved from chimpanzees who were swinging from trees, a truly ludicrous claim. Environmentalists care more for snail darters and spotted owls than they do for people. Appeal to FearYou should give me all your valuables before the police get here. They will end up putting them in the storeroom, and things tend to get lost in the storeroom. ... |
| Sep 6, 2016 | » | Formal & Red Herring Fallacies
2 min; updated Sep 5, 2022
Argument from ConsequencesIf God does not exist, then everything is permitted. Straw ManThe essence of this technique is to caricature a position to make it easier to attack. My opponent is trying to convince you that we evolved from chimpanzees who were swinging from trees, a truly ludicrous claim. Environmentalists care more for snail darters and spotted owls than they do for people. Appeal to FearYou should give me all your valuables before the police get here. They will end up putting them in the storeroom, and things tend to get lost in the storeroom. ... |
| Sep 6, 2016 | » | Informal Fallacies
3 min; updated Sep 5, 2022
AmbiguityEquivocationHow can you be against faith when you take leaps of faith all the time: making investments, trusting friends, and even getting engaged? No True Scotsman“But John is a programmer, and he is not socially awkward at all.” Yes, but John isn’t a true programmer. CausalNot a Cause for a CauseThe hacker took down the railway company’s website, and when I checked the train schedule, what do you know, they were all delayed! ... |
| Sep 6, 2016 | » | Informal Fallacies
3 min; updated Sep 5, 2022
AmbiguityEquivocationHow can you be against faith when you take leaps of faith all the time: making investments, trusting friends, and even getting engaged? No True Scotsman“But John is a programmer, and he is not socially awkward at all.” Yes, but John isn’t a true programmer. CausalNot a Cause for a CauseThe hacker took down the railway company’s website, and when I checked the train schedule, what do you know, they were all delayed! ... |
The LeftOvers (TV Series) explores this a bit. John pretends to be a medium, but actually has a hidden mic and earpiece to Laurie, who then searches the internet for details on the person of interest. Sure, the medium part is baloney, but it helps other characters in the show get closure.
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