Ethics of fallacious argumentation
Reflective Log
the ethics of fallacious argumentation: What if we dis- covered that we could manipulate the voting public more effectively by the use of fallacious arguments than by the use of worthy arguments? Consider the political impact of the “death panels” issue described under the Straw Man Fallacy. The entire episode generated more heat than light. And, yet, it may have achieved its political pur- pose. Many who heard and believed that the proposed legislation envisioned a eugenics program akin to that advanced by Nazi Germany showed up at town meetings to vent their anger and voice their objections. If the goal was to delay or derail the Democratic legislative agenda,then the strategy succeeded. This is only one example of using one’s skills at argument making to achieve one’s goals. Defense attorneys who get juries to acquit crimi- nals is another, as are prosecuting attorneys who get juries to convict innocent people accused of crimes. The ethical question for all critical thinkers is: To what pur- poses ought I to put my powerful critical thinking skills? This question is analogous to the question: To what pur- poses ought I to put my college education? These are, in part, ethical questions and, in part, questions about one’s sense of how to make the meaning of one’s life. And what are your answers? Why?
Individual exercise
evaluate argument worthiness and explain—tests 2, 3, and 4: Assume that all the premises that are asserted are true. Apply the remaining three tests to evaluate each argument to see if it is worthy of acceptance. Remember, if the argument fails a test, you do not have to apply any fur- ther tests because at that point the argument is not worthy to be accepted. In each case, give a detailed explanation tosupport your evaluation. State in your own words why the argument is worthy of acceptance, or why it is not a good argument. M07_FACI9661_03_SE_C07.indd 154 12/24/14 2:34 PM 1. When I stop at a traffic light, I hear this funny rattling sound coming from under my car. It is sort of in the middle or maybe toward the back, but definitely toward the front. I only hear it when the car is idling, not when I’m driving along at a reasonable speed. My dad said once that the metal baffles inside a muffler can loosen up if the muffler is old and rusty. He said that a loose baffle makes a rattling sound when it vibrates, like when the engine is idling or when the tires are out of alignment. My muffler is at least nine years old. So, I’m thinking that probably the rattling sound is coming from the muffler. 2. In a perfect world, the government should investigate whether any laws were broken relating to the treatment of wartime detainees. But this is not a perfect world. So, it would be a mistake for the government to engage in such an investigation. 3. Having turned up some new information, a cold case homicide detective interviewed the victim’s husband some years after his wife’s death. The distraught husband said, “I have been praying all these years, asking God to send us something. My wife’s murder could not have been simply a random accident. God would not permit that.”13 4. If God intended marriage for the sole purpose of human reproduction, and if same-sex couples are entirely incapable of human reproduction, then it follows that God did not intend marriage for same- sex couples.
As you all know, there has been a successful Chinese experiment that used a single cell from a laboratory rat to generate a living chimera of that rat. In the chimera, which lived to adulthood, 95 percent of its genetic material was identical to the donor rat. Noted cell biologist Dr. Kastenzakis believes tinkering with nature is just what scientists do. Therefore the Chinese experiment raises no ethical questions and poses no ethical risks. 6. In the past whenever the TV news programs in Chicago ran headline stories featuring a sketch artist’s drawing of a fugitive, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) hotline received over 200 phone calls from people all over the city who said that they spotted the person. Tonight the Chicago TV news programs are going to feature a sketch artist’s drawing of a fugitive whom the police are trying to locate. This will probably yield hundreds of calls on the CPD hotline. 7. Suppose we imagine electricity flowing through wires in the way that water flows through pipes. With this analogy in mind, it would be reasonable to infer that wires that are larger in circumference should be capable of carrying greater electrical loads. 8. Former NFL quarterback James Harris tells a story about how he committed to throwing footballs until his arm hurt. Knowing that the NFL regardedthe down-and-out pass pattern as one of the more difficult passes for the quarterback, Harris visited the local park and, while nobody watched, he tested himself. He targeted a tree and threw at it blindfolded. He knew that if he missed, he would have to walk a long way downfield to pick up the football. And he did miss the first time. So he wondered whether it was a good idea to even try again. But he did try. And when he heard the ball hit the tree that sound gave Harris a ton of confidence.14 9. My client did not intend to use the weapon, and so he is not guilty of armed robbery. Yes, we agree with the prosecution that he committed the robbery. And, yes, we agree that he was carrying a weapon and that he brandished the weapon to intimidate the store clerk and the customers. We agree that the law reads, “Anyone who carries a weapon in the commission of a robbery shall be guilty of armed robbery.” And, yes we admit that he shouted, “Everyone down on the floor or I’ll shoot.” But, and here is the key fact, the weapon was not loaded. He did not have ammunition anyplace on his person or in his possessions. He never intended to use that weapon. And, therefore, the crime that he is guilty of is robbery, but not armed robbery. 10. Look, officer, you can’t arrest me on felony rape charges just because she’s 17 and I’m 21. Yes we had sex. But it was consensual. And anyway, in two weeks she’s going to be 18, and we plan to get married.I like the President’s approach to trade with China, and I haven’t heard anyone give any evidence that his approach is not going to be effective. So, it must be the right thing for our country to do at this time. 12. Not every argument is of equal quality. Therefore, at least one argument is better than at least one other argument. using all four tests, evaluate argument worthiness and explain: Evaluate the following arguments using all four tests, applied in their proper sequence. In each case, give a detailed explanation to support your evaluation. State in your own words why the argument is worthy of accep- tance, or why it is not a good argument. M07_FACI9661_03_SE_C07.indd 155 12/24/14 2:34 PM 1. Being a sports writer offers challenges that writing standard news stories do not. Here’s why. Unlike with standard news stories where the writer is telling the reader something that the reader does not yet know, most of the time the reader knows who won the game before reading your article. Readers probably watched the game on TV. This means a sports writer has to find some angle or some clever and captivating way of telling the story.The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Denver Rocky Mountain News are going to close unless they find a buyer. Same for the San Francisco Chronicle and the Miami Herald. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune may file for bankruptcy. The Los Angeles Times Sunday edition has shrunk to half its former size. And the list of newspapers in financial trouble goes on and on. I think it is safe to say that the newspaper business may be dying. 3. Torturing prisoners of war often results in poor- quality intelligence. Experience has shown that people in pain will say anything to get the pain to stop. The pain can be either physical or psychological—it does not matter. People crack under the pressure of an experienced interrogator using torture methods. So, we cannot trust the information that comes from that source. 4. Torturing prisoners is against the Geneva Conventions, but it can be a useful means of gathering potentially valuable intelligence. There have been cases where the information given to us by prisoners who have been repeatedly waterboarded, for example, has turned out to be correct. Therefore, we are justified in using torture on prisoners even if our laws explicitly prohibit such methods.More than transferring genes from one organism to another, biologists have successfully engineered synthetic chromosomes into yeast, replacing 16 original chromosomes.15 Our species now knows how to alter the DNA of living cells using synthetically manufactured chromosomes. Synthetic bio-engineering makes possible new biofuels, new medicines, and other genetic improvements.Therefore this landmark scientific achievement is a very good thing. 6. Morethantransferringgenesfromoneorganism to another, biologists have successfully engineered synthetic chromosomes into yeast, replacing 16 original chromosomes. Our species now knows how to alter the DNA of living cells using synthetically manufactured chromosomes. Synthetic bio-engineering is tampering with nature in a way that goes beyond all previous methods. Nobody knows what damage might be done to our species and to other animals and plants. Therefore this landmark scientific recklessness is a very bad thing.should duI homicide be prosecuted as murder? What do you think? A prosecuting attorney in New York is bringing charges of murder against individuals who have killed other people while driving under the influence. The attorney argues that everyone understands that driving while under the influence poses risks for the driver and for other people, including the risk of a fatal accident. The statutes provide for charges of “depraved indifference” when one’s behavior results in the unintended but fore- seeable death of another human being. Defense attorneys argue, among other things, that the laws pertaining to murder were never intended to be applied in this way. The debate was captured by CBS’s 60 Minutes in a segment that aired on August 2, 2009. Search “Should DUI Homicide be Prosecuted as Murder 60 Minutes” to locate and watch that segment. Map out the reasoning for both sides of this debate. Evaluate the reasoning using the four tests for evaluating arguments. After completing your evaluation, present your own reasoned views on the matter.
