Learn to Identify and debate today's oft-used 'logical fallacies'

Aristotle is considered the Father of Logic. He gave the world what is known as syllogistic logic or deductive reasoning with the example:
"All men are mortal; Socrates is a man; therefore, Socrates is mortal."
A few hundred years before Aristotle. The Prophet Isiah wrote:
"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;' Isiah 1:18.
King Solomon, known for his wisdom, wrote "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6:
Logic is defined as right thinking. Sadly, logic went the way of cursive writing. When Cultural Marxist and race baiter Jesse Jackson's called for the end of Western Civilization with his inane chant "Hey Hey, Ho. Ho, Western Civ Has Got To Go," the study of logic, a foundation of Western Civilization was canceled in many of our nation's schools and universities. While the Left has mastered the use of the logical fallacy, some on the Right also use them. And simply using a logical fallacy doesn't necessarily mean that a position or premise is correct or incorrect.

While there are dozens of logical fallacies, I will mention the more commonly used.

The Strawman Fallacy:
A strawman fallacy is deliberately misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack.
Back in the early 1980s, I recall seeing bumper stickers which read: "You Can't Hug Children With Nuclear Arms." As a product of the Boston Public Schools during the height of forced busing, I never had any formal classes on logic, but as a U.S. Army veteran who served in a combat arms unit with nuclear capabilities, I knew that the Soviet Union was behind the Nuclear Freeze Movement in the U.S. With that troubling fact taken out of the equation, one may make a case against nuclear weapons but the slogan on the bumper sticker was a classic example of strawman fallacy.

A few more examples:

"The Republican Party supports social security reform. What the party really wants is to starve your grandparents."

"Hal Shurtleff is against minimum wage laws. He hates poor people."

Ad Hominem

Perhaps the most common logical fallacy is the ad hominem or personal attack I encountered it recently while debating a supporter of public schools. I made a case in favor of homeschooling over government schools and a detractor, instead of proving that the government schools promote excellence, called me a "right-wing extremist" and a "Christian Nationalist." Being a "right-wing extremist" and a "Christian Nationalist" has no bearing on the whether or not homeschooling is preferable to government schools.

A few years ago, I was testifying against an Article V Convention at the New Hampshire House. Prior to my testimony, a lobbyist on the other side of the issue bashed the organization I represented at the time. His goal, while unsuccessful, was to destroy my credibility. It had no bearing on the issue at hand.

Phobe Fallacy

I did an on-line search to see if there was something call a "phobe fallacy." My search turned up no results, So, I am copywriting the term as a subdivision of the ad hominem.

If you advocate for secure borders, those on the Left will call you a xenophobe.

If you suggest that the likes of Ilhan Omar should be deported, you are an Islamophobe.

If you suggest that it is wrong to celebrate certain sexual practices in the month of June, you are a homophobe.

Popular Argument
Just because many people support a specific issue doesn't necessarily make the issue correct. The majority isn't always right. Four out of five dentists may have endorsed a particular brand of toothpaste, but the fifth dentist may have information about the toothpaste that the others don't. The 20 or 30 former intelligence officials were wrong about Hunter's laptop too.

Appeal to Authority:
The supporters of climate change love this one. They will tell you that practically all scientists agree that in 12 years, or eight years, or next year, we will all die unless we give government unlimited power to address climate change. Of course, not all scientists agree, and they have been proven wrong because climate change has not killed us nor is Boston under water during high tide.
Appeal to Emotion
Politicians love this one. I debated a New Hampshire elected official whose name will go unmentioned on the subject of an Article V Convention. He made the claim that if we did not have a convention within a few years, New Hampshire will be lost and go the way of Massachusetts. That was about twelve years ago, and thankfully we have not had an Article V Convention, and we still don't have a sales tax and income tax in New Hampshire. But even if we do become Northern Massachusetts, the lack of holding an Article V wouldn't be the reason.
Non Sequitur It Does Not Follow
Libertarians understand this fallacy well. I recently told a friend that I signed Ayanna Pressley's nomination papers when she first ran for Boston's City Council. My friend said "So, you are the one responsible for her political career?"
Another example is when I voted for third party candidates in presidential elections in 2000, 2004, add 2008. Some said that my votes were votes for Gore in 2000, Kerry in 2004 and Obama in 2008. Following the fallacious reasoning, I dodged the proverbial bullet in 2000 and 2004, but I am to blame for Obama's presidency.
In the 2000 presidential election, Ralph Nader, running on a third party ticket, was accused of taking votes away from Al Gore, the Democrat nominee. Nader had an excellent reply: "Al Gore took votes away from me."
The Slippery Slope
When my children were of school age, I would joke with them, suggesting that low scores on tests would result in their incarceration. I would even draw pictures of jail cells next to incorrect answer on their tests. The faulty reasoning goes like this: If you do badly on a test, you may not complete school. If you don't complete school, you will not find a decent job or start a business. If you don't have a decent job or start a business, you will resort to a life of crime which will eventually land you in jail. Thankfully, all my children are successful, and my slippery slope did not come true.

Another personal example was when a former colleague of mine hosted an event at a local restaurant. I sent out news releases to members of the media about the event. My colleague was upset with me and said that members of the media will smear us. He believed that the smear would lead to a protest outside of the restaurant. The protest would lead to violence, forcing the owner to ban us from the restaurant, and give us a bad image with the public. The media didn't even bother to report on the event.

Recommended Reading: "The Tuttle Twins Guide to Logical Fallacies by Connor Boyack."
I recently discovered this gem at the Homeschoolers of Maine's annual convention. One of the vendors was a representative from the Tuttle Twins. Here is a description of the book from Amazon:
"In a society where, countless ideas are being shared, debated, and analyzed, it's more important than ever to sift out the good ones from among the bad ones. And when people you respect and trust use arguments that sound persuasive, how can you determine if they are correct?

One of the most commonly used methods of spreading misinformation is the use of a logical fallacy bad argument that makes something seem truthful that actually might not be. These types of arguments are used repeatedly, and there are many distinct types.

Fortunately, these logical fallacies can be learned, so they can be avoided. Armed with this information, you'll be equipped to understand when people are sharing an idea that is wrong or making a claim that isn't true. You'll become an expert debater by being able to point out a flaw in an opponent's argument.

That makes this book a dangerous guidebook for teenagers and young adults who want to explore the ins and outs of how to win arguments and point out problems in others' ideas. Use this book wisely!"
I highly recommend the book. While it was written for a young readership, we old people can learn much from it. I am tempted to use a logical fallacy to promote the book like "If you don't read this book and share it with others, the communists will surely take over the country."

Hal Shurtleff is an Army veteran who served a tour of duty with the 101st Airborne and a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. He is also the director and co-founder of Camp Constitution in Alton.