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.