Fallacy: The Counterfeit of Argument

by W. Ward Fearnside, William B. Holther

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Genres: Philosophy, Logic, Nonfiction

218 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

Reviews

[Simeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest books on argument and fallacy ever written. It's dated now, and difficult to get. I found a copy a decade ago, and rebound it with tape when it began to fall apart after half a dozen readings. Used as a reference for this reddit post: http://i.imgur.com/s3rka.png

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic of its kind. I am almost afraid to write about it in case I commit a fallacy in my comments.

I will just share one favorite of mine. Most people who study philosophy are probably familiar with Dr. Johnson's famous response to friends after being asked about Bishop Berkeley's view that there is no material substance. Johnson's reply was to kick a stone.

See I am already in trouble. Should I have used the words "most" or "probably familiar with"?

By the way, Johnson's refutation of Berkeley is a form of refusing to discuss the "absurd." Now philosophers refer to the incident as a new fallacy, the appeal ad lapidem (to the stone).

[Eugene Sedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with other readers, I found this to be a very useful book. I attempted to alert folks in my Toastmasters club about the numerous fallacies we might likely hear in the runup to the 2020 election. In a short, 5-minute speech, one cannot do this book justice. I suggested that the audience get a copy and read it. I left that group due to retirement, so I don't know if anyone ever did.

The authors (W. Ward Fearnside and William B. Holther) take the reader through examples of 51 fallacies, which many of us are familiar with, though we may not be able to name them. We have certainly heard them or read them in various media forms. In some ways, being able to recognize 51 fallacies may be a bit like being able to spot myriad errors in grammar; few people appreciate the education. In these special times, familiarity with fallacies might be useful to us all in ways we never imagined.

Get the book. Read it!

[José Van Rosmalen]

In het Nederlands: drogreden of argument, Aula 141

[Alan Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and used this book when I was a high-school debater during the early 1960s. I still have the copy I purchased at that time. It is an oldie but goodie. Amazon currently has the book available through third-party used-book dealers here. And the price is right! Most of the copies sell for $0.01 plus $3.99 shipping.

[Quratulain · Rating 5 out of 5]

First reading