35 Questions to Consider
- Do you have any examples from your own experience of any of the errors described in this chapter? If you are human, you probably do! Please offer that example, explaining clearly why it was an instance of some particular fallacy.
- A very common fallacy that is not listed in this chapter is the fallacy of appealing to authority. It seems that the fact that Mr. Popular endorses Smile-eeze toothpaste should not rationally persuade me that Smile-eeze toothpaste is good for my teeth. But, as we all know, we have to rely on experts to give us information about the weather, medicine, load-bearing structures, and so on. How would you characterize the fallacy of “appeal to authority” to allow the good appeals to authority and disallow fallacious appeals to authority? After you offer that characterization, develop a solid objection or counterexample to it.
