DQ 6-False Premises / Two Wrongs + Stereotyping - #9

DQ 6-False Premises / Two Wrongs + Stereotyping - #9

In Cotrell's (2005) list of the skills and attitudes involved in critical thinking as a process, she includes "being able to read between the lines, seeing behind surfaces, and identifying false or unfair assumptions" and "recognising techniques used to make certain positions more appealing than others such as false logic and persuasive devices" (p. 2). 

False or unfair assumptions and false logic and persuasive devices are all called fallacies of critical thinking. She gives a complete list of fallacies on page 24 (Cotrell, 2005).

We are going to be working on identifying these fallacies over the next two weeks and identifying them in our presentations and final papers.

Here is an example of a false premise fallacy:

Write it (or copy paste) here. If it's from the web, be sure to put the reference.

Reference

Cotrell, S. (2005). Critical thinking skills: Developing effective analysis and argument (2nd ed.). Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Sample:  FALSE Premise

-Gas/ petrol prices go down when production increases , and demand stays the same.

-Currently, world production has increased, therefore, the gas prices in the UAE will go down..  

False premise:  Gas prices in the UAE are NOT linked to production / supply

Add: Two Wrongs - 'My friend cheats on exams, therefore it's ok for me to cheat.'

Stereotyping:  'All ________ are _________..