SCAMMED! How did the scammers convince their victims? 1. Used arguments. 2. Used credibility. 3. Used rhetoric.
Rhetoric Rhetorical devices not just about language choice. Rhetorical devices also include pretend reasoning called Pseudoreasoning: Presenting premises that sound like part of a legitimate argument, but do not really give good reasons to believe a conclusion.
Rhetoric Pseudoreasoning lead us to fallacies. Fallacies: Mistakes in reasoning.
Fallacies What s going on here? http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/jvi6id/people-who-are-destroyingamerica---landscaping-goats #1 - Scapegoating (Special type of argument from outrage) Inciting anger by blaming a certain group of people or a single person for problems. Examples?
Fallacies What s going on here? http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/c4fdt8/daylight-savings-socialism #2 - Argument from Outrage Instead of: Premise Conclusion We have: Inflammatory words Conclusion Substitutes anger for reason.
Rhetoric Just because an argument is said with anger doesn t make it a fallacy. Sarah owns a Leblanc Saxophone. Since Leblanc makes all their instruments in France, Sarah must own a French saxophone.dammit!!!
Fallacies What are these people trying to do? 1. Salesman: Buy Michelin tires. Don t risk your children s safety by buying inferior brands. 2. Political Pundit: Don t vote for him. He doesn t scare the terrorists. If he s in office the terrorists will surely strike again. #3 -Scare Tactics Trying to scare us into accepting or doing something. Substitutes fear for reason.
Fallacies #4 -Special type of Scare Tactic: Argument from Force Using personal threats to convince someone to accept or do something. This Salesman: Buy Michelin tires. Don t risk your children s safety by buying inferior brands. Becomes this Salesman: Buy Michelin tires, or I ll run you over. Buy Michelin tires, or I ll eat your children.
Fallacies More Argument from Force Examples This Political Pundit: Don t vote for him. He doesn t scare the terrorists. If he s in office the terrorists will surely strike again. Becomes this Political Pundit: Don t vote for him or I ll have you fired! Don t vote for him or I ll expose your affair on television!
Other Emotional Based Fallacies #5 - Argument From Pity Professor, you should give me an A on the midterm. My wife just left me and my child has only one good eye. #6 - Argument From Envy You shouldn t let Bill Gates off the hook for a traffic violation. He s a millionaire and owns half the universe. #7 - Argument From Pride (Apple Polishing) Officer, thank you for protecting my neighborhood and keeping us safe. If you think I was speeding, I must have been. But do you think you can find it in your kind heart to let me go this one time?
Group Exercise In groups of 3-6 come up with original examples of each of the following fallacies: 1. Argument from Outrage 2. Argument using a Scapegoat. 3. Scare Tactics 4. Argument from Force 5. Argument from Pity 6. Argument from Envy 7. Argument from Pride (Apple Polishing)
Review: Rhetoric Rhetorical devices not just about language choice. Rhetorical devices also include pretend reasoning called Pseudoreasoning: Presenting premises that sound like part of a legitimate argument, but do not really give good reasons to believe a conclusion. Pseudoreasoning lead us to fallacies. Fallacies: Mistakes in reasoning.
Group Exercise In groups of 3-6 come up with original examples of each of the following fallacies: 1. Argument from Outrage 2. Argument using a Scapegoat. 3. Scare Tactics 4. Argument from Force 5. Argument from Pity 6. Argument from Envy 7. Argument from Pride (Apple Polishing)