RE: That's a logical fallasy!
December 5, 2014 at 1:59 pm
(This post was last modified: December 5, 2014 at 2:03 pm by Faith No More.)
(December 5, 2014 at 1:52 pm)FatAndFaithless Wrote: The point of identifying a fallacy isn't to automatically pull a trump card to overturn your opponent's argument, it's to show the dubiousness of their reasoning abilities and call into doubt the soundness of their assertions, which leads to further discussion and perhaps, eventually, a non-acceptance of their argument. But I haven't seen too many people, on here at least, just turn off their brains when someone else claims a fallacy.
What he's saying is that too many people can identify a fallacy but not understand the implications of it nor have the ability to defend why it's a fallacy, all the while using said fallacy as a counterpoint in a discussion. I've seen it happen here, but I think for the most part, people do use them properly.
Edit: In fact, defending why fallacies actually are fallacies can get quite messy, so I tend to avoid using it as a debate tool lest I have egg on my face.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell