Guest Blogger: Rosie B.

This past week we learned about logical fallacies and how to best avoid them in our writing. It took a little practice but the concept itself seemed simple enough. So I am posing the question, “Why are we still surrounded by logical fallacies?”
Is it because they are easy to fall back on? Have they proven to be affective?
Yes and No.
While there is no doubt in my mind that politicians have had success using Ad Hominem, and circular logic or reasoning. While watching a political debate I often feel like I am watching two men talking in circles in order to not only best avoid what is being asked but to leave the audience in such a state of confusion that they cannot make an educated decision on the information they received in the previous two hours. While we only touched on a few logical fallacies in class, I have noticed politicians often also use fallacies such as appeals to emotion, fear, flattery, popularity, and tradition.
While I could continue to go on about politicians, I think it is also important to realize when others use logical fallacies. You don’t have to look far. I realized that the Opinion Section of newspapers tends to be a logical fallacy gold mine! Much of the general public doesn’t look for logical fallacies, nor are they trying to discredit anything they are reading. Slipping in a few here or there has proven to be a successful tactic for some writers. How else can you stretch your point to make the argument that those signs that tell you how fast you are going help the American obesity problem but encouraging more parents to let their kids walk to school. It’s a bit of a stretch, but add in a fallacy or two and you are well on your way to success!
Now am I in any means condoning the use of logical fallacies, absolutely not, leaving them out of your writing makes for a much stronger argument. I am just exploring why something we have labeled as bad or ineffective has become so popular.
So now I challenge you, the next time you are reading the newspaper, or a magazine article. Play a little game; see how many fallacies you can spot and then decide if and how it influences your thoughts on the article.