LECTURE NO.

4:

FAULTY
LOGIC
 Faulty (adj)
– means having faults or imperfect
Logic (noun)
– reason or sound judgment

ETYMOLOGY
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 “
Faulty Logic is imperfect
reason. They are also
called logical fallacies.

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 1. Circular
Reasoning
◍ The writer (or speaker or ad)
supports a claim with restatements of
that same claim.
◍ The argument goes around and around
with the reason making the same claim
as the original argument.

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 1. Circular
Reasoning
◍ Example:
◍ Paulo Coelho is a wonderful writer
because he writes so well.
◍ Ryan makes delicious burgers because
he’s an excellent cook.

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 1. Circular
Reasoning
◍ Example:
◍ You have to follow the rules because
it’s illegal to break the rules.
◍ Smoking is bad so you shouldn’t
smoke.

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 2. Overgeneralization

◍ The writer reaches conclusions from a

limited number of facts.
◍ Example:
◍ All blondes are dumb.
◍ Every redhead I’ve met has a fiery
temper, so all redheads have fiery
tempers.
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 3. Self-Contradiction
◍ The writer states a position that
contradicts an earlier stated
premise.
◍ Example: As mayor, my top priority
will be improving education. So, my
first act of office will be to cut
funding for our public schools.
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 3. Self-Contradiction
Examples:
◍ I believe transgender women should be
allowed to join the pageants as long
they look and act like real women.
◍ I don’t believe vaping is harmful
because it has lesser nicotine than
cigarettes.
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 4. False Causality

◍ This occurs when two events happen at

the same time, and an assumption is
made that one event causes the other.
◍ Example: Our house was burglarized
right after that new family moved in
next door.

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 5. Over-Simplification

◍ This occurs when a single cause is

assumed to have created a problem or
an issue. In reality, the problem or
issue may have been created by a
number of causes.

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 5. Over-Simplification
◍ Example: Teenagers have bad skin because
they don’t wash their faces.
◍ School violence has gone up and academic
performance has gone down since video games
featuring violence were introduced.
Therefore, video games with violence should
be banned, resulting in school improvement.

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 6. Assumption

◍ This occurs when the writer may be

proven false or may be merely
stating an opinion.
◍ Example: He is Chinese. He’s
probably good in math.
◍ They’re divorced. Their children
must be suffering.
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 Practice Activity:
Here are statements that show different types of faulty logic.
Identify the type of faulty logic expressed in each statement.
Write Circular reasoning, Overgeneralization, Self-contradiction,
False Causality, Over- Simplification or Assumptions.

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 Practice Activity:
1. “You got a good grade on your essay because the
teacher likes you.”
2. All teenagers are irresponsible.
3. I hated the movie because it was the worst movie I
ever saw.
4. I argued with Mrs. Perez before I turned in my
homework, so I got a bad grade on my paper.
5. The first rule is that there are no rules.
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