Identifying Fallacies in the News

Appeal to Ignorance

In Writing Arguments, it is stated that a fallacy that appeals to ignorance is one that presents evidence to the audience, and expects them to believe it, even though they are incapable of judging or examining (Ramage 426). In the Letters to the Editor section of the Baltimore Sun paper, the topic of discussion is whether it is time to legalize the union of gay's. In a letter rejecting gay marriage, Betty Papson writes, "The last 30 years have seen significant deterioration of the nuclear family. At the same time, there has been a significant rise in sexual abuse, sexually transmitted disease, abortion, drug use and the like" (2). While this argument seems very influential, the reader has no reason to believe that those facts are true. The writer is proving their article with a fact that the audience is incapable of evaluating. The evidence used to support her argument, is significant, but there is no way of knowing if it is factual.

Slippery Slope

A slippery slope fallacy is one that occurs when the speaker or writer fears that once they take a step in a certain direction they do not like, that they have to keep going (Ramage 433). In a slippery slope fallacy, the consequences of an action are exaggerated, usually in an attempt to scare the reader (Lunsford 388). A recent Letters to the Editor section in the New York Post discusses the results of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. Joseph Briglia writes in stating that it is a Muslim's responsibility to claim back his land. He continues, and makes a fallacy when he writes, "If the Palestinian's are given half of Jerusalem for a capital they'll erase everything Jewish there. Next, they'll attempt to take over all of Jerusalem and then all of Israel" (2).This statement is a slippery slope fallacy, because the writer began with a simple exaggeration, but it appears that in order to make a point, he quickly supports his initial exaggeration with further exaggerations, ultimately making the claim that the Palestinian's will take over Jerusalem and Israel.

Hasty Generalization