An error in reasoning is called a logical or rhetorical fallacy. When one’s conclusion does not necessarily follow from the premise, we are right to say that the logic is flawed. An actor once told me his teacher was amazing, and when I asked why he said, “He charges $200 per hour!” Do you see how conflating the two points tells us nothing about the teacher’s skill?
If you believe any one of the statements below to be true, take a step back and rethink logically.
Premise: “My teacher taught Cate Blanchett and she’s a great actor.”Conclusion: “My teacher is the best!”Fallacy: Appeal to celebrity
It is entirely possible that Blanchett is a great actor and that your teacher is the best, but the two statements aren’t causally linked. A celebrity’s use or endorsement of a service does not make the service great. Many years ago Blanchett performed in a TVC for Tim Tams, and although Tim Tams are delicious chocolate biscuits, they are not delicious chocolate because Blanchett says so.
Premise: “I can’t learn my lines perfectly.”Conclusion: “I might as well not learn my lines at all!”Fallacy: Reductio ad absurdum
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