Logical fallacies refer to statements
that seem right but are actually wrong because they don't contribute to the
argument at hand. Philosophers love pointing them out to show the weaknesses of
other people’s arguments. Defense lawyers also find knowledge of logical
fallacies useful when pointing out the flaws in the State’s case against their
clients.
Below are some examples of logical
fallacies you'll often come across at a hearing.
Ad
Hominem
Latin for "to the man,"
argumentum ad hominem is an argument based on an irrelevant detail about the
opposing party. For example: "That man is a killer because he's covered in
tattoos depicting the Grim Reaper." Yet when you think about it, tattoos
suffer from cultural bias given that they're a common sight in prisons.
False
Dilemma
The false dilemma fallacy provides
only two choices to an argument: pro or con. While this may be the case in some
instances, most of the time, at least one extra option exists. For example:
"You either drink or drive." This argument is considered fallacious
since you can choose to neither drink nor drive.
Equivocation
Equivocation refers to the ambiguity
of a keyword used in the argument. This is one of the most difficult to counter
because the message gets lost in translation. For example: "I have the
right to free speech, so I can heckle others." The First Amendment
confirms free speech but does not condone heckling, as it already constitutes
an offense against others.
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