Monthly Archives: December 2012

Refraction (Bent Thinking) #11

Posted on December 8, 2012 by admin Jim

Selective Causal Credit: Picking and choosing which causes and effects to link together based on what advances your position. Refutation: a cause and effect relationship has to be established by factual evidence alone, not rhetoric.  Example: A politician taking credit … Continue reading →

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Refraction (Bent Thinking) #10

Posted on December 7, 2012 by admin Jim

False Cause (Post Hoc): Asserting a causal relationship between two specific past events without any evidence for such a relationship. Refutation: Anyone can claim that one event in the past caused a later event.  To claim a cause and effect relationship … Continue reading →

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Refraction (Bent Thinking) # 10

Posted on December 6, 2012 by admin Jim

Equivocation: Using one term in two different ways (with two different meanings) in the same argument.  Refutation: Logic rules require that within a single argument, terms must have consistency of meaning. Changing the meanings of words within that argument renders … Continue reading →

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Refraction (Bent Thinking) #9

Posted on December 5, 2012 by admin Jim

False Refutation of The General Rule:  Asserting that a General Rule is false by bringing in a single or a few contradictory examples.  Refutation:  A general rule is just that – generally true, not necessarily in every case.  Counter examples … Continue reading →

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Refraction (Bent Thinking) #9: Chronological Snobbery : Asserting that something is bad or good because it is either old or new. Refutation:  The soundness of an argument is not time- bound. It is just like math. A well formulated equation … Continue reading →

Posted on December 4, 2012 by admin Jim | Leave a comment

Refraction (Bent Thinking) # 8

Posted on December 3, 2012 by admin Jim

Intentional Obfuscation of Terms:  Intentionally denying the possibility of defining terms or consciously using unclear, misleading, or biased definitions. Refutation: Any term can be defined and has a definition if it has usage within the language of that culture, so … Continue reading →

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Refraction (Bent Thinking) #7 Appeal To Pity:  Attempting to stir up pity in the hearer, and having done so, ignores other, possibly more relevant considerations.   Refutation: Recognize and acknowledge  the value of compassion and empathy, then point out that it … Continue reading →

Posted on December 2, 2012 by admin Jim | Leave a comment

Bent Thinking #6

Posted on December 1, 2012 by admin Jim

Refraction (Bent Thinking) #6 Prestige Jargon: Using words to make the hearer feel dumb, and therefore keep them from critically examining the argument. Refutation: Recognize that the other person is trying to intellectually bully you and ignore comments/statements/words that are … Continue reading →

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