Like poisoning the well or the fallacy fallacy, we have here a set of ambivalent sophistries; they lack commitment to being sophistical.
Sorting Through Sophistries: Appeals to Emotion (Aren’t Always Bad) Read More »
Death is normally the end of a person’s story; but for a small handful of figures, Socrates among them, things only get more interesting afterwards.
Texts in Context: The Legacy of Socrates Read More »
Fortune-tellers claim to divine secrets from kings, jokers, and knaves; but what is the real source of their information? And for that matter, is it information?
Sorting Through Sophistries: Dishonesty in Detail Read More »
This week, we discuss five minor fallacies. Four are essentially appeals to our insecurities; the fifth is a curveball.
Sorting Through Sophistries: Five Words to Watch Out For Read More »
Other attempts at forcing agreement from an opponent, such as the loaded question and the petitio principii.
Sorting Through Sophistries:Riders of the Viciouscycle—Part II Read More »
One would hardly expect to meet a fallacy as blatantly unsatisfying as “I am right because reasons.” Alas, as so often, that unexpectedness does half its work for it.
Sorting Through Sophistries: Riders of the Viciouscycle—Part I Read More »
Free debate is a good thing, but it is hard to encourage after an experience with a “sea lion”; this damages the communication skills of everyone involved.
Sorting Through Sophistries: Enter the Sea Lion Read More »
Cork (noun). An object put into the mouth of something to prevent fluids from escaping it.
Sorting Through Sophistries: Godwin’s Law (and Other Corks) Read More »
The slippery slope fallacy contends that a given idea, choice, or action will behave like Acme Rocket Skates.
Sorting Through Sophistries: Fallace E. Coyote Read More »
How do you handle a fallacy that’s right sometimes? Is it even still a fallacy?
Sorting Through Sophistries: A Drop of Poison Read More »
