A vote for me Is a
vote for (insert
ideology here)
Logical Fallacies and Politics
What is an informal
Fallacy?
• An argument constructed to persuade by using means
outside of logic and reason.
• How often are fallacies used? How are they used?
Fallacies in politics
• Ignorantio Elenchi
• Argumentum ad Hominem
• Slippery slope
• Argumentum ad Ignorantio
• Post hoc ergo propter hoc
• Black or white Fallacy
• Argumentum ad populum
• Argumentum ad baculum
• Argumentum ad verecundia
Examples
• Ignoratio Elenchi – Failing to address the issue.
“What are you going to do about rising unemployment?”
Response – “This is a very important issue that my
opponent is not addressing at all in his platform!”
• Argumentum ad Hominem – attack the person,not the
platform. Ex. “Obama is a Muslim and therefore
unAmerican”
Examples
• Slippery Slope
Legalizing marijuana will lead to a increase in delinquent
youth behaviour, increase in crime and a decline in
civilization altogether!
• Argumentum ad ignoratio
Abortion is wrong because God made us and life is
precious
• Post hoc ergo propter hoc
Ever since ______ took office gas prices have been on the
rise and the economy has been in the toilet. He/She
must not be an effective leader
• Black or white
Either you support the right to bear arms or you are
against freedom and everything American
• Argumentum ad populum
And the polls say….
• Argumentum ad baculum
Vladimir Putin
Ad Verecundium
The strawman
argument
• Creating an alternative argument and tehn attacking
that as opposed to your opponent’s orginal position.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGZkCPo7tC0
Discrimination y’all
• Texas anti-discrimination bill defeated
(video)
A canadian example
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLX7F44Htsw
The political Speech
• The art of rhetoric and persuasion
• How can fallacies be used? Have they been utilized in
the past? Examples?