What is important to know about the use of fallacies of reasoning to support persuasive arguments? Identify and briefly define three fallacies

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: Fallacies of reasoning are poor ways to support a persuasive argument because they seem to be logical, but they really are not. They should be avoided. Students may identify three of the following: 1) Anecdotal evidence – a generalization that relies on too few observations or incidents, or that is created based on biases in attitudes or beliefs. 2) Appeal to tradition – an argument against change with the claim that some proposed innovation is wrong and should not be adopted simply because it has never been done before. 3) Testimonial – a technique in which the image of a celebrity or some vague “expert” is used to secure approval or disapproval of an idea. 4) Transfer – the association of an idea with something that is already respected, to gain approval, or something that is already disliked, to gain disapproval. 5) Thin entering wedge – the rejection of an idea on the grounds that it will open the floodgates to all kinds of catastrophes, with no evidence pointing to this. 6) Agenda-setting – the contention that one issue is held up as extremely influential and all-important, while all others are dismissed as insignificant.