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No Nonsense

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

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Latest Activity: May 18

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"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

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"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

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Comment by Grinning Cat on April 13, 2013 at 11:43pm: A good guide to logical fallacies, shared by Jen Phoenix in the Ex-Adventists group:

http://www.logicalfallacies.info/

Quite a few examples illustrate unsound proofs for the (non)existence of God. In the "Appeal to Consequences" page, there's a revealing slip that made me smile:

Both of these arguments are fallacious because ... all they do is appeal to the consequences of belief in God.... Neither argument, though, provides any evidence for Santa’s existence.

Comment by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on April 13, 2013 at 1:28pm

Comment by Grinning Cat on February 20, 2013 at 2:22pm: And risk feline leukemia?! Oh noes!

Comment by Joseph P on February 19, 2013 at 1:25am: So, in other words, the application and the side-effects are identical, Cat? How convenient.

Comment by Ian Mason on February 19, 2013 at 1:15am: http://www.museumofquackery.com/amquacks/kellogg.htm

Comment by Grinning Cat on February 19, 2013 at 12:12am: "Side effects may include nausea, vomiting, water weight gain, lower back pain, eczema, receding hairline, itching, liver spots, blood clots, ringworm, excessive body odor, diarrhea, halitosis, scoliosis, loss of bladder control, hammertoe, low sperm count, hunchback, heart attack, feline leukemia, athlete's foot, head lice, anxiety, sleeplessness, drowsiness, gas[,] tooth decay, warts, unibrow, lazy eye, chest pains, hemorrhoids, and sexual dysfunction."

No worries! Just take more snake oil!