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In your notes, based off your understanding
of what the words “ego”, “socio-,” and
“centric” mean, predict what the following
words mean
◦ 1. Egocentric
◦ 2. Sociocentric
Humans often engage in irrational
behavior. We fight. We start wars.
We kill. We are self-destructive. We
are petty and vindictive. We act out
when we don’t get our way. We
abuse our spouses. We neglect our
children. We rationalize, project,
and stereotype.
We act inconsistently, ignore
relevant evidence, jump to
conclusions, and say and believe
things that don’t make good
sense. We deceive ourselves in
many ways.
We are our own worst enemy.
the natural human tendency “to
view everything within the world
in relationship to oneself, to be
self-centered” (Webster’s New
World Dictionary); and
1. To see the world in self-serving terms, to
constantly seek that which makes one feel
good, that which one selfishly wants, at
the expense of the rights and needs of
others.
most simply conceptualized as group
egocentricity. To define sociocentricity, we
might take Webster’s definition of
egocentricity, substituting group for self.
Definition: Sociocentric thinking is the natural
human tendency to view everything within the
world in relationship to one’s own group, to
be group-centered.
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Definition
The Appeal to Popularity has the following
form:
◦ Most people approve of X (have favorable emotions
towards X).
◦ Therefore X is true.
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Arguing that a person’s claim must be true
since most people believe in a claim, thus
making it popular, it must be true
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Examples
"My fellow Americans...there has been some talk that the
government is overstepping its bounds by allowing police
to enter peoples' homes without the warrants traditionally
required by the Constitution. However, these are
dangerous times and dangerous times require appropriate
actions. I have in my office thousands of letters from
people who let me know, in no uncertain terms, that they
heartily endorse the war against crime in these United
States. Because of this overwhelming approval, it is evident
that the police are doing the right thing."
"I read the other day that most people really like the new
gun control laws. I was sort of suspicious of them, but I
guess if most people like them, then they must be okay."

Create your own example of an Appeal to
Popularity fallacy.
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Appeal to Tradition is a fallacy that occurs
when it is assumed that something is better
or correct simply because it is older,
traditional, or "always has been done." This
sort of "reasoning" has the following form:
◦ X is old or traditional
◦ Therefore X is correct or better.
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Of course this mode of government is the best. We have had
this government for over 200 years and no one has talked
about changing it in all that time. So, it has got to be good.
A reporter is interviewing the head of a family that has been
involved with a feud with another family.
◦ Reporter: "Mr. Hatfield, why are you still fighting it out with the
Mcoys?“
◦ Hatfield: "Well you see young man, my father feuded with the Mcoys
and his father feuded with them and so did my great grandfather."
◦ Reporter: "But why? What started all this?"
◦ Hatfield: "I don't rightly know. I'm sure it was the Mcoys who started it
all, though."
◦ Reporter: "If you don't know why you're fighting, why don't you just
stop?“
◦ Hatfield: "Stop? What are you crazy? This feud has been going on for
generations so I'm sure there is a darn good reason why it started. So I
aim to keep it going. It has got to be the right thing to do. Hand me
my shooting iron boy, I see one of those Mcoy skunks sneaking in the
cornfield."
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This fallacy assumes that the belief that one’s
intentions are pure of heart and is often tied
to begging the question/circular reasoning.
Begins with a belief of being especially pure and
ethical.
A mistake may have been made, but it was with our
best intentions in mind…
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“I know I lied, but I only did it so I didn’t hurt
your feelings."
◦ This allows a person to justify impure actions.
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“American Exceptionalism” is an example.
This is the idea that if America is doing
something, then it must be inherently “right.”
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Paint your opponent and his/her actions
negatively; paint yours positively.
This can easily be confused with double talk;
the key in this fallacy is to understand that in
demonizing his side, certain kinds of words
will be used:
◦ tyranny, violence, subversion, plots, terrorism. In
sanitizing your own, such words might include:
civilization, human rights, honor, God’ comfort, etc
...
Similar to mud-slinging; systematically using ‘good
words’ for your cause and ‘bad’ to characterize the
opponent.
Playing up motives that sound good and appear highminded “finding the good reason.”
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“I stand for the prosperity and success of
Americans, while my opponent wants to
oppress the American people with new taxes
and punishments.”
Recruiter to parents of a potential football
star:
◦ “That coach at Ohio State just wants to use players
to improve his resume, while at Florida we aim to
improve the lives of our students through education
and athletics.”
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Identify the examples on the back side of
your worksheet
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Dirty Trick #10
Attack the Person (and not the argument)
When a reasonable argument is made, the argument is
ignored and the reasoner is directly attacked.
Name calling-mud slinging-poisoning the well.
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Dirty Trick #11
Beg the Question
An attempt to prove a point by assuming it in the first
place.
The use of words or phrases that prejudge an issue
by the way the issue is put.
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Dirty Trick #13
Create a False Dilemma (the great either/or)
Persuaded to believe there are only two, equally
unsatisfactory choices, when in fact there are many
possibilities available.
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Dirty Trick #38
Talk in Vague Generalities
Avoid being pinned down on any issue.
Avoid the use of specifics that may cause actions to be
questioned.
Similar to DT #28- make sweeping generalizations.
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Dirty Trick #43
Throw In Some Statistics
Impress the audience with numbers, quoting statistics
that are favorable.
EVEN IF THE SOURCE IS QUESTIONABLE.