For knowledge on health issues, do we bypass doctors and medical researchers and go straight to the One Who Really Knows: a mom? Here is a new logical fallacy, whose relevance to talk shows and some media reports may strike you instantly: Proof by Mommy Instinct. You might find that Brian Dunning’s list of new logical fallacies gives you a flash of recognition and maybe a smile. The website of The Skeptoid provides both audio of this podcast and a transcript.
My favourite among them is surely the Appeal to Lack of Authority, which I recognize with some delight. “I’m not an expert, but….” followed by some firm pronouncement. “Somebody has to stand up to these experts!” But why should Brian Dunning have all the fun? Surely this would keep us entertained very cheaply — spotting and giving our own names to some nonsensical twists of reasoning we hear around us or see in the media. Want to join me? Feel free to comment! But do take care how rigorously and extensively you engage in this game. We could lose a lot of friends if we listen too critically to everything they say!
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As I was saying yesterday — no, I guess it was last week — I wouldn’t teach logical fallacies anymore in the way I did for many years. I’ve updated. Updated? You could readily point out that the human capacity to fall into error, or to manipulate thinking erroneously to persuade others, has not changed over the past two or three millennia. I would agree. However, to connect with our current students and with the structure of the TOK course, some updating really helps.
