Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome to the Course

Welcome to Think Again: How to Avoid Fallacies! This course is the fourth in the specialization Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking, based on our original Coursera course titled Think Again: How to Reason and Argue. We are excited that you are taking this course, and we hope that you will take all four courses in the series, because there is a great deal of important material to learn. In the series as a whole, you learn how to analyze and evaluate arguments and how to avoid common mistakes in reasoning. These important skills will be useful to you in deciding what to believe and what to do in all areas of your life. We encounter fallacies almost everywhere we look. Politicians, salespeople, and children commonly use fallacies in order to get us to think what they want us to think. Think Again: How to Avoid Fallacies will show how to identify and avoid many of the fallacies that people use to get us to think the way they want us to think. The first part of this course introduces the series and the course. It also clarifies some peculiarities you may find with this course. We encourage you to watch the "Introduction to the Specialization" video first as it will help you learn more from the materials that come later.

Fallacies of Unclarity

CONTENT: In this week's material we will describes two phenomena that are both common and useful in the languages that human beings speak, but both of which give rise to the potential for fallacious reasoning. A word or phrase is vague when its meaning is not precise, and it is ambiguous when it has more than one meaning. When we use vague or ambiguous phrases in our reasoning, it is very easy for us to make a number of different kinds of fallacies. This week will teach you what these different kinds of fallacies are, and give us some practice in spotting them, so you can make sure to avoid them in the future. LEARNING OUTCOMES : By the end of this week's material you will be able to: define what a fallacy is distinguish various kinds of fallacies understand the linguistic phenomena that give rise to fallacies identify various kinds of slippery slop fallacies where they occur identify various kinds of fallacies of equivocation where they occur OPTIONAL READING: If you want more examples or more detailed discussions of the fallacies that result from vaguness or ambiguity, we recommend Understanding Arguments, Ninth Edition, Chapters 13-14.

Fallacies of Relevance

CONTENT: This week describes two of the most common fallacies that people make: ad hominem fallacies and appeals to authority. Part of what makes these fallacies so common, and so difficult to avoid, is that many ad hominem arguments, and many appeals to authority, are actually not fallacies at all! Only some of them are. And figuring out which of them are fallacies is more of an art than a science. There is no simple recipe, but there are some rules of thumb you can use. We hope that the practice that you get in this week will help you to improve your skills at distinguish the fallacious from the non-fallacious instances of ad hominem reasoning, as well as appeal to authority. LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of this section you will be able to: determine whether an ad hominem argument is a fallacy determine whether an appeal to authority is a fallacy OPTIONAL READING: If you want more examples or more detailed discussions of these topics, we recommend Understanding Arguments, Ninth Edition, Chapter 15.

Fallacies of Vacuity and Circularity

CONTENT: Now we will describe another common set of fallacies: fallacies that occur when an argument makes no progress from its premises to its conclusion. Sometimes, arguments make no progress because the conclusion is already contained in the premises. Sometimes, arguments make no progress because the conclusion is presupposed by the premises. And sometimes, arguments make no progress because the premises don’t make any claim at all, even if they might sound like they do. When you know how to identify such fallacies, you will find that they are more common than you think! LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of this section you will be able to: identify various kinds of circularity or vacuity where they occur OPTIONAL READING: If you want more examples or more detailed discussions of these topics, we recommend Understanding Arguments,Ninth Edition, Chapter 16.

Refutation: Its Varieties and PItfalls

CONTENT: This week we will teach you various strategies for refuting a fallacious argument. To refute an argument is to show that the argument is unsuccessful. Even if you are able to identify a fallacious argument as a fallacy, you might still not be able to prove to others that it is a fallacy. In this week, you will learn a variety of techniques for proving to others that the argument is a fallacy. LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of this week you will be able to: refute fallacious arguments OPTIONAL READING: If you want more examples or more detailed discussions of these topics, we recommend Understanding Arguments, Ninth Edition, Chapter 17.

Catch-Up and Final Quiz

This week gives you time to catch up and review, because we realize that the previous weeks include a great deal of challenging material. It will also be provide enough time to take the final quiz as often as you want, with different questions each time. We explain the answers in each exam so that you can learn more and do better when you try the exam again. You may take the quiz as many times as you want in order to learn more and do better, with different questions each time. You will be able to retake the quiz three times every eight hours. You might not need to take more than one version of the exam if you do well enough on your first try. That is up to you. However many versions you take, we hope that all of the exams will provide additional learning experiences.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores a variety of fallacies, which are common occurrences in everyday communication

Teaches students to identify and avoid fallacies in their own arguments

Provides learners with a foundation in informal logic

Taught by Dr. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and Dr. Ram Neta, who are experts in the field of logic

Covers common fallacies such as ad hominem, appeals to authority, and circularity

Suitable for students with some background in critical thinking

Reviews summary

Think again iv: avoid fallacies

According to students, Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies is a thought-provoking course that teaches learners how to critically analyze arguments and avoid fallacies. Learners say that the course provides a solid foundation in argument analysis and that the professors are engaging. Some learners found the material challenging, but they appreciated that it gave them the tools they need to evaluate arguments effectively.

Instructors are engaging and knowledgeable.

"Both professors were a joy as I listened and learned!"

"Such an interesting subject, I am pretty sure I will analyzing every argument in a very critical way"

"Incredible, such passion and dedication shown by the professors."

Course material is conceptually challenging.

"Some of the material was conceptually difficult for me."

"We learned how to criticize an argument by recognizing fallacies and refutation."

"It might get too technical at times when it could have been by common sense/reasoning"

More real-life examples would be helpful.

"Really liked the way we got to write out our own argument once we completed everything"

"Very interesting course with great lecturers and great examples."

"I do wish there were more real life/ everyday examples to help me understand the difference between different fallacies/arguments in real life"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies with these activities:

Online Fallacy Identification Tutorial

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Provide additional practice and guidance in identifying and avoiding fallacies

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Find an online tutorial on fallacy identification
Follow the steps in the tutorial to learn how to identify different types of fallacies
Complete the exercises in the tutorial to test your understanding

Identify Fallacies Exercise

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Help build a repertoire of fallacies to help quickly identify fallacies in arguments

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Review the types of fallacies covered in the course
Find examples of each type of fallacy in real-world arguments
Create a list of the fallacies you identified, along with their definitions and examples
Practice identifying fallacies in new arguments

Fallacy Identification Workshop

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Provide a hands-on opportunity to practice identifying and avoiding fallacies

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Find a fallacy identification workshop in your area
Attend the workshop and participate in the exercises
Apply the skills you learned in the workshop to your own arguments and writing

One other activity

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Show all four activities

Fallacy Analysis Essay

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Encourage deep analysis and understanding of fallacies and their impact on arguments

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Choose an argument that contains a fallacy
Identify the fallacy in the argument
Explain how the fallacy affects the validity of the argument
Write an essay that analyzes the fallacy and its impact on the argument

Career center

Learners who complete Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Statistician

Statisticians collect, analyze, and interpret data in order to make informed decisions. The skills you learn in 'Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies' will help you to critically evaluate statistical data and identify any fallacies or bias that may be present. This will enable you to produce accurate and reliable statistical analysis that will help organizations to make informed decisions.

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Economist

Economists study the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The skills you learn in 'Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies' will be helpful for you to critically evaluate economic data and identify any fallacies or bias that may be present. This will enable you to produce accurate and reliable economic analysis that will help businesses and governments to make informed decisions.

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Data Scientist

Data Scientists collect, analyze, and interpret data in order to extract meaningful insights. The skills you learn in 'Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies' will help you to critically evaluate data and identify any fallacies or bias that may be present. This will enable you to produce accurate and reliable insights that will help your organization to make informed decisions.

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Intelligence Analyst

Intelligence Analysts collect and analyze information about foreign countries and organizations. The ability to identify and avoid fallacies will be essential for your success as an Intelligence Analyst. You will need to be able to critically evaluate the information that you gather and to identify any fallacies that may be present. This will enable you to produce accurate and timely intelligence reports that will help your organization to make informed decisions.

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Academic Researcher

Academic Researchers conduct research and publish their findings in scholarly journals. The skills you learn in 'Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies' will be essential for your success as an Academic Researcher. You will need to be able to critically evaluate the research of others and to identify any fallacies that may be present. This will enable you to conduct sound research and to produce high-quality publications.

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Journalist

Journalists investigate and report on news and current events. In your role as a Journalist, you will need to be able to critically evaluate the information that you gather and to identify any fallacies that may be present. This will enable you to produce accurate and informative reports that will help the public to understand the issues that they face.

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Policy Analyst

Policy Analysts research and analyze public policies and make recommendations on how to improve them. The ability to identify and avoid fallacies will be essential for your success as a Policy Analyst as it will enable you to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different policies and make recommendations that are based on sound logic.

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Consultant

Consultants provide expert advice to businesses and organizations on a wide range of topics. Your understanding of fallacies will be essential for your success as a Consultant. You will need to be able to critically evaluate the arguments of your clients and identify any fallacies that may be present. This will enable you to provide sound advice that will help your clients to make informed decisions.

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Lawyer

Lawyers help clients to resolve legal issues by providing legal advice, representing them in court, and negotiating settlements. The skills you learn in 'Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies' will be essential for your success as a Lawyer. You will need to be able to critically evaluate arguments, identify fallacies, and construct sound arguments in order to effectively represent your clients. In your work, you will encounter many situations where fallacies are used to mislead or deceive, and it is important to be able to recognize and counter these fallacies to protect your clients' interests.

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Research Scientist

Research Scientists conduct experiments, analyze data, and develop new knowledge or products. The skills you learn in 'Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies' will help you to critically evaluate research and identify flawed arguments. This will be essential for your success as a Research Scientist, as you will need to be able to make sound judgments about the validity of your own work and the work of others. Furthermore, by understanding the different types of fallacies that people use, you will be better equipped to avoid making them yourself, which will enhance your credibility and the impact of your research

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Product Manager

Product Managers develop and manage products. The skills you learn in 'Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies' may help you to critically evaluate product requirements and identify any fallacies or bias that may be present. This will enable you to develop and launch successful products that meet the needs of your customers.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software. The skills you learn in 'Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies' might be useful as you analyze software requirements and identify any fallacies or bias that may be present. This will help you to develop high-quality software that meets the needs of its users.

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Project Manager

Project Managers plan, execute, and close projects. The skills you learn in 'Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies' may be helpful for you to critically evaluate project plans and identify any fallacies or bias that may be present. This will enable you to develop and execute successful projects.

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Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts analyze financial data and make recommendations on investments. The skills you learn in 'Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies' could be useful for you to critically evaluate financial data and identify any fallacies or bias that may be present. This will help you to make sound investment recommendations.

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Actuary

Actuaries use mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk. The skills you learn in 'Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies' may be helpful for you to critically evaluate insurance data and identify any fallacies or bias that may be present. This will enable you to produce accurate and reliable actuarial analysis that will help insurance companies to make informed decisions.

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