#fallacy #fallacies #logicalFallacy #logicalFallacies
"When people hear the word bias, many if not most will think of either racial prejudice or news organizations that slant their coverage to favor one political position over another. Present bias, by contrast, is an example of cognitive bias—the collection of faulty ways of thinking that is apparently hardwired into the human brain."
A nice summary of common fallacies — beware:
“Logical Fallacies: Seven Ways To Spot A Bad Argument” [2024], BBC (https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240709-seven-ways-to-spot-a-bad-argument).
#Fallacies #Logic #LogicalFallacies #Argument #Debate #Politics
Novel responses to novel behavior | @destiny
“Only after the last tree has been cut down / Only after the last river has been poisoned / Only after the last fish has been caught / Then will you find that money cannot be eaten.” #capitalism #economy #FalsePriorities #LogicalFallacies
I just participated in the first W3C Authentic Web Mini Workshop¹ hosted by the Credible Web Community Group² (of which I’m a longtime member) and up front I noted that our very discussion itself needed to be careful about its own credibility, extra critical of any technologies discussed or assertions made, and initially identified two flaws to avoid on a meta level, having seen them occur many times in technical or standards discussions:
1. Politician’s Syllogism — "Something must be done about this problem. Here is something, let's do it!"
2. Solutions Looking For Problems — "I am interested in how tech X can solve problem Y"
After some back and forth and arguments in the Zoom chat, I observed participants questioning speakers of arguments rather than the arguments themselves, so I had to identify a third fallacy to avoid:
3. Ad Hominem — while obvious examples are name-calling (which is usually against codes of conduct), less obvious examples (witnessed in the meeting) include questioning a speaker’s education (or lack thereof) like what they have or have not read, or would benefit from reading.
I am blogging these here both as a reminder (should you choose to participate in such discussions), and as a resource to cite in future discussions.
We need to all develop expertise in recognizing these logical and methodological flaws & fallacies, and call them out when we see them, especially when used against others.
We need to promptly prune these flawed methods of discussion, so we can focus on actual productive, relevant, and yes, credible discussions.
#W3C #credweb #credibleWeb #authenticWeb #flaw #fallacy #fallacies #logicalFallacy #logicalFallacies
Glossary
Ad Hominem
attacking an attribute of the person making an argument rather than the argument itself
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
Politician's syllogism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politician%27s_syllogism
Solutions Looking For Problems (related: #solutionism, #solutioneering)
Promoting a technology that either has not identified a real problem for it to solve, or actively pitching a specific technology to any problem that seems related. Wikipedia has no page on this but has two related pages:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_fix
Wikipedia does have an essay on this specific to Wikipedia:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Solutions_looking_for_a_problem
Stack Exchange has a thread on "solution in search of a problem":
* https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/250320/a-word-that-means-a-solution-in-search-of-a-problem
Forbes has an illustrative anecdote:
* https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanieburns/2019/05/28/solution-looking-for-a-problem/
References
¹ https://www.w3.org/events/workshops/2025/authentic-web-workshop/
² https://credweb.org/ and https://www.w3.org/community/credibility/
Previously in 2019 I participated in #MisinfoCon:
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t1/london-misinfocon-discuss-spectrum-recency
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t2/misinfocon-roundtable-spectrums-misinformation
When the Richest Man in the World Loves #Classics
"Musk’s posts about #antiquity do not overtly engage in hate speech but they tread the same ideological paths as #fascism."
#musk #history #LogicalFallacies
https://pharos.vassarspaces.net/2025/01/31/elon-musk-nazi-salute-classics-roman-empire-latin/
Translating Natural Language to First-Order Logic for Logical Fallacy Detection — https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.02318
#HackerNews #NaturalLanguageLogic #LogicalFallacies #AIResearch #MachineLearning #NLP
🚨 It’s live! 🚨 Want to avoid being misled during contract negotiations or sales pitches?
🏗️ Learn about the 10 most common logical fallacies and how to spot them like a pro! 💼 Read the full blog here 👉 https://ssf.au/lfhts
Today’s word is #Equivocation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equivocation
“… equivocation ("calling two different things by the same name") is an informal fallacy resulting from the use of a particular word or expression in multiple senses within an argument.”
The #washingtonpost was kind enough to provide a copy of the memo ordering the freeze. I attach screen captures here.
This memo is a masterclass in #LogicalFallacies, especially #equivocation: using vague, undefined terms with ambiguous meaning, leaving it to the mind of the reader to choose the definition that best suits their personal interpretation. It is a classic trick to fool the audience while providing no grounding for your position.
I’m curious about the term used to describe the tendency of individuals to provide seemingly logical explanations for the actions of those who engage in harmful behavior.
#CognitiveDissonance #LogicalFallacies #HarmfulBehavior #PsychologyTerms
Enhance your critical thinking skills! Learn about common logical fallacies and how to navigate life's challenges more effectively. #CriticalThinking #LogicalFallacies #PersonalGrowth
https://stevenroland.com/posts/navigating-lifes-challenges-understanding-logical-fallacies
Listen to Steve Shives!
Our incredulity won't protect us.
#logicalfallacies
#OpenYourEyes
#RadicalAcceptance
#politics
#Disbelief
#uspol2024
Goddamn #gotcha bros really out here thinking they're smart. Here's irrefutable evidence to that delusional take.
Yes, it's just a list of #logicalfallacies , but goddamn if it isn't so totally normal for these people to use them.
Imbeciles, morons, idiots and complete wankers love these "simple tricks"... because they are also simpletons.
I've made 5 videos about common logical fallacies. This is the first of them.
Oh look, @deadonasunday #deadonasunday picture flashing the #whitesupremacists ok hand signal
When called out, denied. Accused of #mentalhealth issues. And blocked without addressing the fundamental issue at hand.
Another band on my never listening or spinning in my DJ sets ever again.
#whitesilenceisviolence #whitesupremacyisterrorism #whitesupremacists #whitesupremecy #goth #gothgoth #gothic #gothgothgoth #gothlife #gothsofinstagram #gothmusic #goths
#racism #racisminamerica #racismsucks #racismisavirus #fuckracism #fuckracism🖕
#fuckracism🚫❌ @adl_national #adl #antidefimationleague
#mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthsitgma #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthisimportant #logicalfallacies
197 #Climate #ClimateLies #aDoozie
All over the world there will be elections. At such a time a good deal of lies will be told on #ClimateChange.
In the description below the video, there are loads of links for research and learning. Never seen such a grouping together. Be sure to check them out !
"The climate lies you'll hear this year" [16;oo min]
by Simon Clark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7xxE45ZeY8
Apologies in advance for all the #'s, it's for easing searching on topic.
The lies they'll try on you and that are being debunked:
1) Getting to #NetZero will be ruinously expensive and we shouldn't do it.
[in other words: it's way to expensive to have brakes on your car ! ]
2) The impacts of climate change won't be harmful and we don't have anything to worry about.
[Who's 'we' now: The #Impacts of the ClimateCrisis are not evenly distributed]
3) #ClimateScientists can't be trusted and all their #Predictions have been wrong
[ Just wrong: they have been right for 30 yrs and more. And weather is not climate ! ]
4) #HeatPumps don't work when it gets cold !
[ Then why are the most heat pumps per capita found in Norway ? ]
5) We shouldn't do anything about climate change because #China is doing nothing.
[ They beat the rest of the world on #SolarPower , #AirQuality and... they are on course to peak in 2025 ]
A ' Skeptical Science ' editor wants you to keep FLICC in mind:
#FakeExperts #LogicalFallacies [faults] #ImpossibleExpectations #CherryPicking and #ConspiracyTheories
And a most important [and encouraging] NOTE:
You may think everything you do is a drop in the ocean, but the ocean is made out of drops.
Essential for making the future of our children and grandchildren less catastrophic than it would be if we listen to #BigOil lies.
Quote by SC:
"16 Apr 2024
This year you will be lied to! Let me help prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate"
I feel lucky to have been exposed to the classic logical fallacies, but I wish more people had the benefit of recognizing them these days.
It would be nice if awareness didn't depend on random Social Studies and English teachers who personally felt it was important to prepare us.
