How to Win Every Argument : The Use and Abuse of Logic

by Pirie, Madsen

• ISBN13: 9780826490063
• ISBN10: 0826490069
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-06-02
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Academic

Summary

In this witty and infectious book Madsen Pirie provides a complete guide to using - and indeed abusing - logic in order to win arguments. He identifies with devastating examples all the most common fallacies popularly used in argument. We all like to t

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	viii
Introduction	ix
Abusive analogy	1	(2)
Accent	3	(2)
Accident	5	(2)
Affirming the consequent	7	(2)
Amphiboly	9	(2)
Analogical fallacy	11	(3)
Antiquitam, argumentum ad	14	(1)
Apriorism	15	(2)
Baculum argumentum ad	17	(2)
Bifurcation	19	(3)
Blinding with science	22	(2)
The bogus dilemma	24	(3)
Circulus in probando	27	(2)
The complex question (plurium interrogationum)	29	(2)
Composition	31	(2)
Concealed quantification	33	(2)
Conclusion which denies premises	35	(3)
Contradictory premises	38	(1)
Crumenam argumentum ad	39	(2)
Cum hoc ergo propter hoc	41	(3)
Damning the alternatives	44	(2)
Definitional retreat	46	(3)
Denying the antecedent	49	(2)
Dicto simpliciter	51	(2)
Division	53	(2)
Emotional appeals	55	(3)
Equivocation	58	(2)
Every schoolboy knows	60	(3)
The exception that proves the rule	63	(2)
Exclusive premises	65	(2)
The existential fallacy	67	(2)
Ex-post-facto statistics	69	(3)
Extensional pruning	72	(2)
False conversion	74	(2)
False precision	76	(3)
The gambler's fallacy	79	(3)
The genetic fallacy	82	(1)
Half-concealed qualification	83	(3)
Hedging	86	(2)
Hominem (abusive), argumentum	88	(2)
Hominem (circumstantial), argumentum ad	90	(2)
Ignorantiam, argumentum ad	92	(2)
Ignorantio elenchi	94	(3)
Illicit process	97	(2)
Irrelevant humour	99	(2)
Lapidem argumentum ad	101	(3)
Lazarum argumentum ad	104	(2)
Loaded words	106	(3)
Misericordiam argumentum ad	109	(2)
Nauseam, argumenturn ad	111	(3)
Non-anticipation	114	(2)
Novitam, argumentum ad	116	(2)
Numeram, argumentum ad	118	(3)
One-sided assessment	121	(2)
Petitio principii	123	(3)
Poisoning the well	126	(2)
Populum, argumentum ad	128	(2)
Positive conclusion from negative premise	130	(1)
Post hoc ergo propter hoc	131	(2)
Quaternio terminorum	133	(3)
The red herring	136	(2)
Refuting the example	138	(2)
Reification	140	(2)
The runaway train	142	(3)
Secundum quid	145	(2)
Shifting ground	147	(2)
Shifting the burden of proof	149	(2)
The slippery slope	151	(2)
Special pleading	153	(2)
The straw man	155	(2)
Temperantiam, argumentum ad	157	(3)
Thatcher's blame	160	(2)
Trivial objections	162	(2)
Tu quoque	164	(2)
Unaccepted enthyrnemes	166	(2)
The undistributed middle	168	(3)
Unobtainable perfection	171	(2)
Verecundiam, argumentum ad	173	(3)
Wishful thinking	176	(3)
Classification of fallacies	179