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  Did this review contain fallacies (false arguments)? help

  Fallacies - Help
  
  
  

  Just about all strategies and tactics are up for debate in the fire service due to the uniqueness of any emergency and our variant communities. There is no lesson that can serve the entire fire service without identifying our particular community's needs.

  
  How to make a strong argument and sound good doing it:

  1. Provide support for your argument
  2. Make sure you address the issue and stay focused to the relevant aspects of the topic.
  3. Do not make claims that you cannot support.
  4. Cite all of your work. Its easy, let this website do it for you: http://citationmachine.net/

  
  Learn what fallacies (false arguments) are and call people out!
  

  Fallacies are very, very, very common. Many arguments sound strong, but can be defused by stating obvious fallacies. Click the example links to better understand the fallacy options below.

  Yes   No

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  • Argument of antiquity or tradition example
    
  Argument of antiquity or tradition - Appeal to widespread belief, bandwagon, or appeal to common practice.
  
  

  Example argument: "San Francisco uses straight bore nozzles and the big cities have been doing it for years."

  
  

  Assessment: This statement has me convinced, but it is a weak argument. Why does San Francisco use straight bore nozzles? What evidence suggests that straight bore nozzles are superior? And why do other big cities follow suit after San Francisco? The answers to these questions make for a good argument. We can't refute the use of self-contained breathing apparatus for the reason that "big cities have gone interior without breathing apparatus for years."

  • Bad analogy example
    
  Bad Analogy - Claiming that two situations are highly similar, when they are not.
  
  

  Example argument: "Big Town doesn't buy rescue gear, so rural little towns should not need a budget for rescue gear."

  
  

  Assessment: As stated prior, every community is unique and we can argue that all comparisons to our communities may fall into this fallacy. You can't argue that a particular method works best in all situations, our job is simply too diverse.

  • Oversimplification example
    
  Oversimplification - To simplify to the point of error.
  
  

  Example argument: "Firefighters are overpaid"

  
  

  Assessment: The statement is too simple. What jobs are being compared? What jobs have equal health risks? What jobs hold more significant responsibility and pay less? I could argue that an elementary teacher may hold this title. However, I could also argue that elementary teachers should be valued much higher and receive better wages. Einstein says it best, "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler"

  • Argument to the man example
    
  Argument to The Man - Attacking a person instead of his or her argument.
  
  

  Example argument: "No one should listen to that pencil pushing idiot who has never even fought a fire."

  
  

  Assessment: While this statement may be true, it's not the reason why people should not listen to his or her argument.

  
  

  Example argument: "Don't tell me to slow down, when you drive the engine like a bat out of hell."

  
  

  Assessment: Do as I say, not as I do. Attack the argument and not the "man".

  • Begging the question example
    
  Begging The Question - Assuming the answer or stating a proposition without the required proof.
  
  

  Example argument: "We need an online training program to reduce firefighter risk."

  
  

  Assessment: You assume that online training will lower risk, before you identify whether the training is effective or not.

  
  

  Example argument: "Without the chiefs, we won't have anyone to make decisions."

  
  

  Assessment: When you assume, you make an ### out of you and me.

  • Argument from authority example
  Argument From Authority - The claim that the speaker is an expert and so should be trusted.
  
  
  Assessment: In the fire service we are "jacks of all trades", masters of none. There are degrees and areas of expertise. It is not a fallacy to give credibility to those who have earned it. This fallacy merely indicates that we cannot imply that an authority is infallible and exempt their proposal from criticism.
  
  
  • Other Fallacy example
  Other -
  
  
  Don't see an option that describes the false argument you'd like to call out? Use these resources to learn more about other types of fallacies:
  http://www.don-lindsay-archive.org/skeptic/arguments.html
  http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/
  http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/fallacies.html
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