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No Nonsense

Anti-pseudoscience, anti-woo, pro science, pro critical thinking, no conspiracy theories, no spin. Count the logical fallacies. No Nonsense!

Members: 342
Latest Activity: on Sunday

"Keep an open mind – but not so open that your brain falls out" -unknown

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan

"What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence." -- Christopher Hitchens

What is a logical fallacy? All arguments have the same basic structure: A therefore B. They begin with one or more premises (A), which is a fact or assumption upon which the argument is based. They then apply a logical principle (therefore) to arrive at a conclusion (B). An example of a logical principle is that of equivalence. For example, if you begin with the premises that A=B and B=C, you can apply the logical principle of equivalence to conclude that A=C. A logical fallacy is a false or incorrect logical principle. An argument that is based upon a logical fallacy is therefore not valid. It is important to note that if the logic of an argument is valid then the conclusion must also be valid, which means that if the premises are all true then the conclusion must also be true. Valid logic applied to one or more false premises, however, leads to an invalid argument. Also, if an argument is not valid the conclusion may, by chance, still be true. For a more thorough discussion of logical fallacies and how to structure a logical argument, see the New England Skeptical Society's article, How To Argue.

Top 20 Logical Fallacies (in alphabetical order) taken from -

The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe

The New England Skeptical Society The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe Science-Based Medicine
The James Randi Educational Foundation
Propaganda
snopes.com
Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
Simon Singh and his fight to mend British libel laws
Professor Richard Wiseman
PZ Myers' Pharyngula
Dr. Phil Plait and Bad Astronomy
Skeptic Blog
Michael Shermer's Baloney Detection Kit
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan
The Skeptics' Dictionary
List of cognitive biases
Don Watson - Weasel Words
QuackWatch
A List of Fallacious Arguments

Chat #NoNonsense

"No skeptic, to my knowledge, ever made a major scientific discovery or advanced the welfare of others."

-- Deepak Chopra (yes, he actually said that)

"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds the most discoveries, is not "Eureka!" (I found it!) but That's funny..." -Isaac Asimov



The scientific world view is full of awe and wonder. Understanding how truly awesome the universe is – in its elegant complexity, its staggering beauty, and the many intricate systems of which it is comprised – gives a profound feeling of connectedness and sparks the imagination. And it has the advantage of being real. -Steven Novella



The glory which is built upon a lie soon becomes a most unpleasant incumbrance. How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and how hard it is to undo that work again.
— Mark Twain

Discussion Forum

Cheating with Science

Started by Ruth Anthony-Gardner. Last reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on Sunday. 4 Replies

Information Technology amplifies irrational group behavior

Started by Ruth Anthony-Gardner. Last reply by Joan Denoo Apr 13. 3 Replies

6 criteria of conspiratorial thinking

Started by Ruth Anthony-Gardner. Last reply by Humble Pie Mar 24. 3 Replies

Political discourse in US - fundamentally fallacious

Started by Ruth Anthony-Gardner. Last reply by James M. Martin Mar 23. 1 Reply

Challenging lies doesn't work

Started by Ruth Anthony-Gardner. Last reply by Joseph P Jan 25. 1 Reply

Apocalypse anxiety

Started by Ruth Anthony-Gardner. Last reply by GOD'aye Jan 7. 3 Replies

A Visual Study Guide To Cognitive Biases

Started by Little Name Atheist. Last reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner Sep 19, 2012. 5 Replies

Psychic Power-NOT

Started by Ruth Anthony-Gardner. Last reply by David Layton Apr 17, 2012. 5 Replies

Magical thinking has benefits?

Started by Ruth Anthony-Gardner. Last reply by Loren Miller Mar 22, 2012. 1 Reply

The Awesome Power of Fractal Energy Mandalas

Started by Dallas the Phallus. Last reply by Sarah Walton Mar 4, 2012. 11 Replies

Video "Science is Real"

Started by Ruth Anthony-Gardner Feb 10, 2012. 0 Replies

How the Mind Counteracts Offensive Ideas

Started by Dallas the Phallus. Last reply by Steph S. Aug 21, 2011. 6 Replies

Self-help author convicted of negligent homicide

Started by Dallas the Phallus. Last reply by Mike K. Jun 23, 2011. 5 Replies

Cognitive Biases and Handedness

Started by Dallas the Phallus Mar 18, 2011. 0 Replies

DNA Perfection: Unleash Your Genetic Potential NOW!

Started by Dallas the Phallus. Last reply by godfree inseaofred Dec 4, 2010. 3 Replies

Comment Wall

Comment by sacha on November 21, 2009 at 7:40pm
Oh and Scooby Doo thanks you too
Comment by Glenn Sogge on November 21, 2009 at 7:43pm
A useful video to learn from and to pass along to others that could be helped by it is the RDF TV Baloney Detection Kit by Michael Shermer that's been here for awhile.
Comment by Glenn Sogge on November 21, 2009 at 7:53pm
->felch: The best way to handle "specific nonsense angles" would be to deconstruct specific documents or posts to show the tools in use. (I think this is called 'fisking' now on the interwebs.) Are there some major documents (in the sense of important or canonical, not length) that we could do this on? Or maybe we post/link something and ask for a detailed working out of what's wrong?
Comment by Фелч Гроган on November 21, 2009 at 9:23pm
As promised to the first 50 members here's your FREE Obama birth certificate (click to enlarge) -

>

Comment by Sentient Biped on November 21, 2009 at 10:03pm
I feel left out. My favorite cartoon was Rocky & Bullwinkle. But I'll get over it, since there is a preponderance of scoobyphilia here and we all have to compromise for the greater good.
Comment by sacha on November 21, 2009 at 10:10pm
here you are, Daniel


now get on with your work debunking the woo!
Comment by Meg on November 22, 2009 at 3:00am
Excellent! I think my professor of "Why People Believe Weird Things" would love this group.
Comment by Ida on November 22, 2009 at 3:10am
Nice to see a group like this on AN. It is very much needed.
Comment by Фелч Гроган on November 22, 2009 at 4:57am
@Mymelody - "Bioidential hormones" are what this charlatan peddles from this antivax video posted by Homeoboy
Comment by Shamar on November 22, 2009 at 4:54pm
The Earth is Flat! And Other False Beliefs Based on Dogma and Pseudoscience that Stress the Need for Critical Thinking
http://bit.ly/RuUcx

Comment

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Blog Posts

War on Christmas in May

Posted by matthew greenberg on May 21, 2013 at 12:18pm 0 Comments

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/21/texas-merry-christmas-bill_n_3312786.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

i've got no problem with everyone saying "merry christmas" on christmas day.  however, they've turned it into an entire holiday season where it lasts a month or more.  in those situations it should be perfectly acceptable to say "happy holidays" or call it a…

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My first funeral as an atheist

Posted by Two Cult Survivor on May 21, 2013 at 11:30am 0 Comments

I posted the bulk of this on another thread, but wanted to add some context separately.

I finally confronted my faith and embraced the fact of my atheism late last August, 2012. Days after I revealed my "epiphany" to a few friends who knew me from another message board, my sister died from Lou Gehrig's Disease (which pissed her off because she hated catching a disease from someone she never f---ed).

THAT was my sister, understand? She was a beautiful, life-loving, potty-mouthed…

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Death of a family member

Posted by Larry Taylor on May 20, 2013 at 8:15pm 7 Comments

OK. I am venting. My mother died two weeks ago. She was a “god fearing christian.” Before her death she refused all medical treatment. She wanted to be left alone. She even refused to speak with my brother who is a methodist minister. He is a pip, let me tell you! I suspect she did not believe, but a woman born in her time could not and did not state her actual beliefs. This is the opening salvo to all christians; FUCK YOU! I had so many people come and tell…

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Unbelievable!!!!!!!!

Posted by Christy Stewart on May 20, 2013 at 2:17pm 6 Comments

This probably should not have shocked me as much as it did (especially since I am in Texas). I actually thought my coworkers were playing a joke on me because they know I am an atheist. Sadly, this was no joke. This actually happened.

I work in a psychiatric hospital. The doctors who admit patients are general MDs. (Psychiatrists see patients after admission) Yesterday evening we received several calls from irate parents. A new doctor who was doing admissions yesterday actually…

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