Fallacies and Their Role in Misconceptions
Fallacies in our reasoning and perception of information are one of the main reasons for the formation of misconceptions. There are patterns of perception of specific facts that lead to false conclusions. All logical fallacies can be divided into three main types: fallacies of support, fallacies of relevance, and fallacies of clarity. Considering each of these types in context can help to find ways to avoid logical fallacies in these cases.
Hasty Generalization: A Common Mistake
Hasty generalization is one of the most common mistakes in argumentation. For example, the stereotype about women driving is not sufficiently supported by statistics. Moreover, women are more cautious when driving than men, so the statistics are contradictory. However, a hasty generalization would be to say that if all my female neighbors have damaged their cars through their fault, then all women are bad drivers. A larger sample of people should be involved to avoid such a mistake in argumentation. The results of a survey of 10,000 people from different countries will help form a more solid picture of the world’s situation than a few neighbors’ experience (Hardy et al., 2015).
The Fallacy of Relevance in Advertising
The fallacy of relevance is the appeal to emotions often seen in advertising. Particularly, ads for anti-aging creams or energy drinks allow older people to remain as active as they were in their youth. The model in the Nivea cream ad was 60 years old and had skin without a single wrinkle (Kenyon, 2022). The buyer has an association: I will look as young as I feel if I use this cream.
At such moments, people may realize that it won’t work, but under the influence of intense emotion and desire to choose favor of this product. To avoid disappointment, people should listen to common sense rather than emotions. To avoid logical fallacies in argumentation, companies should provide accurate photos and back up the idea from the advertisement with fundamental research confirming the product’s effectiveness.
Almost any situation can be presented with this “argument,” but a striking example is the idea that putting a child to sleep is unnecessary because they will cry more often. This argument does not consider the reasons for the child’s crying but only takes away the responsibility of the parents and suggests that the problem should not be solved because it can hypothetically happen again.
References
Kenyon, Z. (2022). This Nivea ad banned over “extensive retouching.” Cosmopolitan.
Hardy, J., & Foster, C. (2015). Informal Fallacies. In With Good Reason: A Guide to Critical Thinking. Bridgepoint Education.