Guide to Logic Errors

Factual Questions
1

Good Guide to Logic Errors

Hi all.

I am looking for a guide (book or website) describing various logical errors and fallacies commonly employed in thesis/essay writing. I’m not looking for formal logic or mathematical (or programming) works but rather common logical mistakes writers make. For example, “law of the excluded middle,” “appeal to selective evidence,” “simplistic appeals to authority,” etc.

Google and Amazon weren’t too helpful. Any suggestions?

2

This is a good site: http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/.

3

This one is also pretty good:
http://www.datanation.com/fallacies/

4

I usually reference this one (modelled, I think, on the nizkor site PG cited).

5

Cool. That one has it all in one text file I can download.

Thanks to all.

6

Is there another name for this one?

X is a feature of the concept (or theory or philosophy). Therefore, X is the entire concept (or theory or philosophy).

7

Generilization? Well let’s see http://www.datanation.com/fallacies/ QWhat? No, I do not want to log in prior to searching! Grrrrrrrrrr :mad: Hasty Generalization? No, it’s Composition

8

This book is specifically math-related misconceptions, errors, and fallacies, but it may help (it’s worth reading anyway): Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences by John Allen Paulos.

9

Bob Carroll’s Skepdic site has individual HTML pages for common fallacies. You can download the entire dic or buy the book.

10

Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric by Howard Kahane and Nancy Cavender.

11

The Trivium is good, but it might be more than you’re looking for.