Philosophy Here and Now: Chapter 1 Philosophy and You
false dilemma
The fallacy of arguing erroneously that since there are only two alternatives to choose from, and one of them is unacceptable, the other one must be true.
composition
The fallacy of arguing erroneously that what can be said of the parts can also be said of the whole.
division
The fallacy of arguing erroneously that what can be said of the whole can be said of the parts.
appeal to the person
The fallacy of rejecting a statement on the grounds that it comes from a particular person, not because the statement, or claim, itself is false or dubious.
argument
A statement coupled with other statements that are meant to support that statement.
conclusion
In an argument, the statement being supported.
deductive argument
An argument intended to give logically conclusive support to its conclusion.
inductive argument
An argument intended to give probable support to its conclusion.
reductio ad absurdum
An argument of this form: If you assume that a set of statements is true, and yet you can deduce a false or absurd statement from it, then the original set of statements as a whole must be false.
statement (claim)
An assertion that something is or is not the case and is therefore the kind of utterance that is either true or false.
premise
In an argument, a statement supporting the conclusion.
Socratic method
Question-and-answer dialogue in which propositions are methodically scrutinized to uncover the truth.
slippery slope
The fallacy of arguing erroneously that a particular action should not be taken because it will lead inevitably to other action resulting in some dire outcome.
appeal to popularity
The fallacy of arguing that a claim must be true not because it is backed by good reasons, but simply because many people believe it.
genetic fallacy
The fallacy of arguing that a statement can be judged true or false based on its source.
appeal to ignorance
The fallacy of arguing that either (1) a claim is true because it hasn't been proven false or (2) a claim is false because it hasn't been proven true.
equivocation
The fallacy of assigning two different meanings to the same significant word in an argument.
straw man
The fallacy of misrepresenting a person's views so they can be more easily attacked or dismissed.
begging the question
The fallacy of trying to prove a conclusion by using that very same conclusion as support.
logic
The study of correct reasoning.
epistemology
The study of knowledge.
ethics (moral philosophy)
The study of morality using the methods of philosophy.
metaphysics
The study of reality.
axiology
The study of value, including both aesthetic value and moral value.
fallacy
A common but bad argument.