Chapter 5: Objectives

Following are the main learning objectives from the chapter.  To help you coordinate your studies, these objectives are organized into sub-sections (8-5, 8-5, etc.) and listed with the relevant page numbers from the textbook. 

5-1 (pgs. 132-133).
Understand how pseudoreasoning relates to nonargumentative persuasion and to good arguments.

• Recognize that since pseudoreasoning is defined in the negative that it does not lend itself to exhaustive or technical classification.
• Distinguish between two main groups of pseudoreasoning; the kind of thinking that has been distorted by misplaced emotion and the kind of thinking that has been led astray by error.

5-2 (pgs. 133-134).
Understand how smokescreens and red herrings introduce irrelevancies into a discussion that differentiate them from other kinds of pseudoreasoning.

• Be able to identify uses of smokescreens and red herrings.

5-3 (pgs. 134-136).
Understand the type of pseudoreasoning called the subjectivist fallacy and how to identify it.

•  Recognize the difference between differences of opinion and differences of taste.

5-4 (pgs.136-137).
Understand the type of pseudoreasoning called appeal to popularity and how to identify it.

• Differentiate between when it is acceptable to believe a claim based on an authority and when this practice is fallacious.

5-5 (pgs. 137-138).
Understand the type of pseudoreasoning called common practice and how to identify it.

• Differentiate between common practice and appeal to popularity.

5-6 (pgs.139-140).
Understand the type of pseudoreasoning called peer pressure and how to identify it.

• Understand that this sort of reasoning is only fallacious if the peer's activities are used as a reason a claim is true.

5-7 (pgs. 140-141).
Understand the type of pseudoreasoning called wishful thinking and how to identify it.

5-7 (pgs. 141-142).
Understand the type of pseudoreasoning called scare tactics and how to identify it.

• Realize that an appeal to emotion may be justified depending on the claim being considered.

5-9 (pgs.142-143).
Understand the type of pseudoreasoning called appeal to pity and how to identify it.

• Realize that an appeal to emotion may be justified depending on the claim being considered.

5-10 (pgs.143-144).
Understand the type of pseudoreasoning called apple polishing and how to identify it.

5-11 (pgs.145-147).
Understand the type of pseudoreasoning called appeal to anger or indignation and how to identify it.

• Realize that an appeal to emotion may be justified depending on the claim being considered.

5-12 (pgs.147-161).
Understand the type of pseudoreasoning called two wrongs make a right and how to identify it.