Bùi Phương Thúy

Name: Bùi Phương Thúy

Group: E20

ENTRY 4
Argument Structures and Fallacies

1.      ITEM 1
Albert Einstein

Source:  http://ksriram.blogspot.com/2005/11/albert-einstein-at-his-best.html
Albert Einstein once went to a restaurant. The waiter placed menu-card before him. Unfortunately Einstein had left his reading-glasses at home, so he said to waiter," would you please read it out to me?" The waiter hesitated a bit and then replied," I would have been glad to, Sir, but I am also an illiterate like you.
Analysis:
 What the waiter thinks:

If a person is illiterate, he cannot read the menu-card.
Einstein cannot read the menu-card.

Therefore, Einstein is illiterate.


The structure clearly is:
If A, then B
B

Therefore A

à Structural Fallacy: Affirming the consequent

1.      ITEM 2

Source: http://mysillylife.net/wp-content/uploads/what-fits-your-busy-schedule-better.jpg

Analysis:

The Doctor claimed that there are only two choices, one is to exercise one hour a day and the other is to be dead 24 hours a day. In other words, if the patient does not exercise one hour a day, he will die 24 hours a day. In fact, in order to be healthy (or alive), the patient can find many ways other than exercising.
à Fallacy of presumption: false dilemma
    3. ITEM 3

Source: http://etruyen.com/vuicuoi/index.php?id=537

Lý lịch ba đời

Hai anh bạn nói chuyện với nhau:
- Tại sao anh có người yêu xinh xắn, hiền dịu, có bằng cấp mà lại xù cưới?
- Bố mẹ tôi đã xem kĩ lý lịch ba đời nhà cô ấy rồi.
- Có người mắc bệnh di truyền?
- Không, ba đời nhà cô ấy toàn đẻ con gái không.
Analysis:
Writer’s logic:
Her family’s 3 generations give birth to girls only.
She is member of the family
 

Therefore, she will give birth to girl only.

è Hasty generalization

Three generations of the girl’s family give birth to girls only doesn’t mean that she will give birth to girls. Science proved that the child is girl or boy depends on the father.