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8: Detecting Fallacies

Last updated

Mar 10, 2021
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- 7.11: Exercises
- 8.1: Ad Hominem Fallacy

Bradley H. Dowden
California State University Sacramento

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In earlier chapters we examined several techniques of deception: exaggeration, telling only half the truth, and using loaded language. Fallacies are errors in reasoning, and they can be used to deceive, as we saw in the discussion of the fallacy of avoiding the issue, the red herring, and misplacing the burden of proof. In this chapter, we explore other important fallacies. Knowing the main ways that people are lured into these errors will improve your chances for logical self-defense in the future.

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