Fallacy LessonRhetoric and Logical Fallacies

Logos, Ethos, PathosPhase 1: Rhetoric

Logos•Argument that appeals to logic• Examples:•Statistics, arguments with proof, lists of features…

Ethos•Argument based on the reputation of a person or expert• Example:•A doctor endorsed medicine•Celebrity endorsement

Pathos•Argument based on emotion; tugs at the proverbial heartstrings• “Pathetic”• Example:•The animal abuse commercials with pictures of sad eyed puppies and kittens.

Which appeal is this?

Pathos

Which appeal is this?

Ethos

Which appeal is this?

Logos

Which appeal is this?

Pathos

Assessment #1 (2 for practice; 1 to turn in)

Look at the text given and answer the following questions:1. Who is the author/speaker? For what is he/she known?2. What is the main idea, or topic, of the text? 3. What is the time period? How do the events of the time influence the text and the speaker?4. Who is the intended audience?5. What is the author’s point of view on the topic? What is he/she trying to get the audience to do or believe?6. What persuasive strategies does the author use? (Logos, Ethos, Pathos) How do you know?7. How does the author organize the text? (most important to least important, chronologically, etc.) How does this organization help the argument/persuasion?

Assignment:• Locate print ads (magazines) or multimedia ads (TV/YouTube)•Bring the ad to class (cut it out or bring on a flash drive)•Due date:

Phase 2: FallaciesRhetoric

What are Fallacies?• Fallacies are kinds of errors in logic or problems in reasoning• They should not be persuasive, but they often are…• They may be created unintentionally, or intentionally in order to deceive people

Ad Hominem “to the man”DefinitionDismisses the facts, and attacks

the person insteadHintsName callingExamplesMueller’s books on shark attacks

are worthless because he is a convicted embezzler and forger.

Example

Ad Populum “to the people”Definition• appeal to emotions of the reader• panders to popular passion or sentiment

Hint“To the people”Think patriotism, virtues, values, and sometimes tradition

Example: Ad Populum

BandwagonDefinition-it’s a form of ad populum- An appeal to peer pressure and group identity

HintThink: Everyone else is doing it

Example: Bandwagon

Plain Folks and Snob Appeal

DefinitionPlain Folks- someone rich, famous and/or well-known claims to be ordinary

Snob Appeal- use/believe this and you'll be like the rich, famous, beautiful

Examples: Plain Folks and Snob Appeal

HintMakes you relate (or want to relate) to someone because you are like them or want to be MORE like them

ExamplesSnob Appeal: “Proactive worked for me and gave me beautiful skin.”

– Katy Perry

Plain Folks

Plain Folks

Ad Misericordiam(Appeal to Pity)

Definition: It appeals to the emotions rather than the mind of the reader- stronger appeal than ad populum

Example: Appeal to Pity

ExampleFor only pennies a day, you can save this

child’s life (insert unhealthy, unhappy picture here)

Slippery Slope

Definition an assumption that one step will inevitably lead to a second, usually undesirable step.

HintWatch for extreme assumptions

Example

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KQQcYEbMNM&feature=relmfu

Division

Definition: one, therefore allORIf all, therefore one

Examples of Division:Examples: That high school student is so immature. All high school students are immature.

Or-All the kids from that school are stuck up, so the kid who just transferred over must be stuck up too.

More• Questionable Cause: Since event B

followed event A, B must have been caused by A.• Hasty Generalization: reaching a

generalization based on insufficient evidence; without considering all of the variables• Appeal to False Authority: either the

authority is not a subject-matter expert or there is no consensus among the experts, or both

How do I know if there is a fallacy here?

Is the purpose to PERSUADE?YES look for fallaciesNO probably does not contain fallacies

Is the information TRUE and verifiable?YES probably does not contain fallaciesNO text may contain fallacies

Does the information contain FACTS TO BACK UP THE GENERALIZATIONS?YES probably does not contain fallaciesNO text may contain fallacies

Is the language LITERAL or FIGURATIVE?LITERAL? Text may contain fallaciesFIGURATIVE? Text probably does not contain fallacies

Assessment #2 (2 for practice, 1 to turn in)

Using two ads (print or video) answer the following questions:1. What is the product being sold?2. What is happening in the ad? What is the layout or storyline? Is there a particular focus in the ad? (e.g. bold print, bright colors, a central character, etc.)3. How does the advertiser use the items from #2 to help persuade the intended audience?4. Who is the intended audience? (be specific: teenage girls worried about acne)5. What is the author’s point of view on the topic? What is he/she trying to get the audience to do or believe?6. What fallacies are present in the ad? (give examples and name the fallacy) How do you know?7. What persuasive strategies does the author use? (Logos, Ethos, Pathos) How do you know?

Phase 3: Remix!

Assessment #3

Locate a print or video advertisement. •With a partner or small group analyze and then recreate (remix) the ad to target a different audience. • The original ad, the analysis and the remixed ad will be presented in front of the class.

The Process:

1. Describe and/or show the original ad.2. Name the product/service being advertised.3. Explain layout and fallacies in original ad.4. Create remixed ad, present it, and explain changes made in order to target the new audience.5. Use and explain at least two logical fallacies in the remixed ad.6. Use and explain Logos, Ethos, or Pathos in the remixed ad.

Possible audiences include, but are not limited to:• Men (dads, single men,

etc.)• Women (moms, single

women, etc.)• Teenagers (boys, girls,

both)• Children (babies,

elementary)• Elderly• Texans• Minnesotans• Californians

• Soccer Moms• Hipsters• Fashionistas• Tree-Huggers• Affluent (rich)

consumers• Harvard Grad• Jocks• Celebrity/Socialite• Teachers• Etc.