1.Fallacies of Presumption Begging the Question Complex Question False Dichotomy Chua Han En|Chuah Li Xian|Kenneth Ho|Neo Wei Jie| Stephanie Liau

2. Begging the Question Omission of Premise Restatement Circular Chain 3. Colloquial Usage The term begging the question is widely and incorrectly taken to mean prompts the question You not only have four CCAs but are also taking 6.0 CUs this semester, which begs the question: are you taking too much for you to handle? 4. Begging the Question When the conclusion/proposition to be proved is assumed in the premise(s) Valid but unsound, unlike most fallacies 5. Omission of Premise Occurs when a controversial premise is omitted P > Q P If P then Q > Q The controversial premise is omitted and implicitly assumed to be true by the speaker. Hence, there is no need for an argument as the conclusion has already been assumed to be true. 6. Omission of Premise We should not let so many foreign workers into our country as it will be less safe for us. It is in our interest to want to stay as safe as possible. > We should not let so many foreign workers into our country. It is in our interest to want to stay safe. If we let more foreign workers into our country, our safety will be jeopardised. > We should not let so many foreigners into our country. P: It is in our interest to stay as safe as possible Q: We let more foreign workers in our country P If Q, then not P > not Q 7. Omission of Premise Only people above the age of 21 should be allowed to vote as maturity is a prerequisite for voting. Only mature people should vote. People above the age of 21 are mature. > People above 21 should be allowed to vote. P: People above 21 Q: Mature people R: Voters Only Q are R All P are Q > All P are R Only mature people should vote. > Only people above 21 should be allowed to vote. 8. Omission of Premise If the omitted premise is not controversial, no fallacy is committed. To study too hard will be detrimental to our health. Hence, we should not study too hard. Missing assumption: We want to have good health. There is no illicit presumption as the premise is widely accepted to be true 9. Restatement Rephrasing the reason for the conclusion as the conclusion itself The conclusion is rephrased to look different and then placed in the premises There is actually no argument P > P 10. Restatement Banning eating in trains is justified because it is legitimate to prevent people from the consumption of food and beverages in public transport. Banning eating in trains is justified > Preventing people from the consumption of food and beverages in public transport is legitimate. P > P The speaker has stated a point, but is he really arguing for something? 11. Restatement In order to be a good leader at all times, you must have the ability to efficiently lead your followers at every possible situation. Have to possess the ability to lead your followers at every possible situation > Being a good leader at all times P > P Isnt the speaker stating the same point? 12. Restatement It is important to further the advancement of the combined degree of learning in the class by encouraging students to participate in class more because other students as well as the participant himself can learn more if students share their views as well as raise questions during lessons, and that is essential for the class to increase their knowledge collectively. Class participation is important as everyone can collectively learn more > Participating in class is essential as it helps others to learn more P > P Sometimes, people get away with using different and often complicated phrases to say the same thing. 13. Circular Chain A chain of premises that end up presupposing the conclusion The conclusion is found in the premise, hence when the conclusion is reached, the argument reaches a full circle P because Q Q because R R because P 14. Circular Chain Consider this argument: I believe Michael wouldnt betray me because we are good friends. The reason why we are good friends is because we trust each other. P: I believe Michael wouldnt betray me Q: We are good friends R: We trust each other The claim that we trust each other already assumes that I believe Michael. P because Q Q because R 15. Circular Chain Consider this argument: SMU is the most renowned university in Singapore because it hires the best professors, and that is because it pays more than the other universities. SMU can afford to do so because it charges higher school fees, and it can get away with doing so because its reputation is the strongest among all universities in Singapore. P: SMU is the most renowned university in Singapore Q: It hires the best professors R: It pays more than the other universities S: It charges higher school fees T: its reputation is the strongest among all universities in Singapore P because Q Q because R R because S S because T 16. Circular Chain In certain situations, there is a strong cause and effect relation between two events. In such cases, an explanation of how the events work will inevitably look like a circular chain. People continue to take drugs because they are addicted and people are addicted because they continue to take drugs. People are addicted People continue to take drugs 17. Circular Chain More people are being interested in kpop because kpop is getting more popular and kpop is getting more popular because more people are being interested in it. More people are interested in kpop kpop is getting more popular 18. Final Thoughts In begging the question, the term beg does not mean to ask or prompt, but it means to take it as granted. Therefore, we usually refer to arguments that we take for granted. This problem persists because we always assume the claim to be proven is true even though it is questionable and debatable. 19. Complex Question 20. Prerequisites Complex question fallacy is occurs when a question that is asked (a) that presumes the existence of an assumption (b) to which the answers appear to endorse that assumption 21. Loaded Question Implicit argument Act as a Trap TRAP Prevention May be unknowingly tricked into providing the evidence themselves. Resolve complex question into its component questions and answering each separately. 22. Have you stopped beating your wife? Assumption: you beat your wife? Acknowledgement: do you continue to beat your wife? (If you P, do you still P?) 23. Examples Are you done being arrogant? Are you still competing in the X-factor? Are you still a student of SMU? 24. Which is the complex question: Did you know that listening to your ipod at a high volume will affect your hearing? Do you still listen to your ipod while you study? 25. Do you still listen to your ipod while you study? Assumption: You listen to your ipod while you studied (in the past) Acknowledgement: You STILL listen to your ipod 26. Have you repented for your sins? Non Christian (Complex) Christian (Simple) Have you ever sinned? (Assumption) If so, have you repented? (Acknowledgement) Have you repented for your sins? (Romans 3:22) 27. False Dichotomy 28. Dichotomy Division of a whole into two separate groups or entities. 1) Mutually Exclusive 2) Jointly exhaustive 29. Examples Either I beat my wife or I dont beat my wife. Chris Brown was either guilty or innocent of attacking Rihanna. 30. Either Liverpool or Manchester United won. > Manchester United didnt win. > So Liverpool won. False Dichotomy!! 31. False Dichotomy Overlooking Alternatives Overlapping Alternatives 32. False Dichotomy by Overlooking Alternatives The alternatives presented do not exhaust the set of all possible alternatives. i.e. Present us with only 2 choices when there could be more. Either P or Q (but other alternatives present) > Not P > So Q. 33. Either youre with us, either you love freedom, and the nations which embrace freedom; or youre with the enemy! 34. Either youre with us or youre with the Enemy! Failed to consider the middle ground. Attempts to present everything in black and white where there are in fact, shades of gray. 35. False Dichotomy Overlapping Alternatives - Misformulating a problem as a choice between 2 alternatives when both choices are overlapping 36. Structure Either P or Q P >So not Q - Premise P and Q can be true - However the conclusion would be false. 37. Example Either Stephanie is doing her revision or she is at SMU. She is doing her revision. Therefore she is not at SMU. Invalid. > Stephanie can be doing her revision in SMU. Failing to consider other alternatives/situations and in this case, its e failure to consider that P and Q can be happening at the same time. 38. How to Correct? Either Stephanie is doing her revision or she is at SMU, but not both. Therefore, she cannot be at SMU because she is doing her revision now. Either Stephanie is doing her revision or she is at SMU. She is doing her revision. Therefore she is not at SMU. 39. The Killers Album: Day and Age Song: Human Chorus: Are we human? Or are we dancer? My sign is vital My hands are cold And I'm on my knees Looking for the answer Are we human? Or are we dancer? 40. Summary Begging the Question - Omission of Premise - Restatement - Circular Chain Complex Question False Dichotomy - Overlooking Alternatives - Overlapping Alternatives 41. Summary Name of Fallacy Structure of Fallacy Omission of Premise Leaves out controversial premise needed to derive conclusion Restatement Reason given is a restatement of conclusion Circular Question A chain of premises one of which presupposes the conclusion Complex Question Yes/No question that indirectly have two questions False Dichotomy by Overlooking Alternatives Either P or Q, but overlook R False Dichotomy by Overlapping Alternatives Either P or Q, but could be both P and Q 42. Question 1 We must not fear Pontianak because there is no reason to be afraid of ghosts of women who died during child birth => Restatement 43. Question 2 Ah Tan is Chinese. So, he only eats Chinese Food => Omission of Premise 44. Question 3 Me: Have you quit drinking? Ah Tan: Yes! Me: You admitted you have been drinking?! => Complex Question 45. Question 4 Either you are a Business or Economics Student Youre a Business Student Therefore, youre not an Economics Student =>There are people taking double degree in Business and Economics. 46. Thank You!