BeGging the question ( p 3 t I t i O P r I c i P i I )

there are four categories of 'begging the questions', as shown in the picture above.

petitio principii fallacy

this is a fallacy used to avoid an argument by using "S is true, because S is true".

for example:
A: Why do you saying that it is important to study hard? is it really by study hard we can get a good job in the future?
B: The competition out there is getting higher. To compete with others and getting a good job in the future, you must start by now!! Study hard!!

circular argument

~ because the conclusion essentially appears both at the beginning and the end of the argument, it creates an endless circle. This kind of argument assumes premises of a statement has the same meaning as the conclusion.

for example:
You want to get good result in your final because you are smart. You are smart because you are hardworking. You are hardworking because you want to get good result in your final.

burden of proof fallacy

this fallacy occurs when someone who is making a claim that is hard to support shifts the responsibility to the other person in the argument.

for example:
A: Why is it we need to pay IT fees?
B: Why don't you ask this question to the Principal of MMU in person?
A: Why can't i ask you?

red herring

this is a fallacy used to sidetrack the audience by rising an irrelevant issue and then claims that the original issue has been settled by the irrelevant diversion.

for example:
You are saying that i lied to Yenn. But, please do not forget that I'm the one who guiding you in mathes. So please do not make that as an issue, okay?

my F o R m 6 F r i 3 n d...

i've just read my form 6 classmate's blog. and with my critical thinking knowledge, i found one of the paragraph of her blog uses paradox!



"The more you love,the more you hate. The more you love to hate,the more you hate to love. The more you love hate,the more you hate love."

this is what she wrote in her blog.. the more you love, the more you hate. how do one person love & hate at the same time.. and the more you love to hate, the more you hate to love.. wow.. seems to be complicated.. i was totally confused when i read this.. so i include it as paradox.. paradox is a statement or sentiment that is contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true in fact.

in her statement, we can see what she has wrote seems to be make sense, seems to be a good argument, but in fact it is not, we are unable to love and hate someone at the same time.. this is what we can say as paradox..

ad p O p u L u M fallacy

The following information will be on the ad populum fallacy (peer group)



as shown in the chart above, ad populum fallacy of peer group can be grouped into three.

ad populum appeal to common belief

this is a fallacy that trying to persuade you to think in a certain ways, because that is how everyone else think.

for example:
You should have supporting Jay Chou. He is a famous singer in Asia. If you are not supporting him, you would never fit in around here. So don't you think that you should support Jay Chou and his music?

ad populum appeal to cocommon practice

this is a fallacy that persuade someone to act in certain way or do something because everyone else is doing so.

for example:
Are you going to join us to Jay Chou Live concert in Malaysia this coming Saturday? Everyone is going to watch his concert. Do join us!

ad populum appeal to tradition

this is a fallacy which used to persuade someone to do something since it is consistent with the tradition and customs in a society, family, or in a group.

for example:
Since Jay Chou is a good composer and a good singer in Asia region, his children will be a good composer and a good singer in the future too!

M a t R i x ~ mathematics for finance assignment...

during form 5 levels, we learn Matrix chapter in mathematics.. and it is the easiest chapter to cope..

during form 6, i've further learning the matrix chapter in mathematics t paper 1.. and it is stil ok for me.. we are dealing with 3X3 matrix..

and for now.. matrix is the hardest chapter, i need to pay most attention on this chapter!! i'm now using the "kindergarten method" in solving the matrix question.. this is what i told my assignment leader, i told him i need more time on matrix questions..

the "kindergarten method" that i've mentioned illustrate that i'm using the longest method which i've listed out all the steps..and yet i can't get the correct answer!..
i've tried it for 8 times and at last i get the correct answer!



this is the "kindergarten method" that i've mentioned above. normally people will use calculator or have own calculation in mind. but for kindargarten students, they need to write out step-by-steps.. and now i'm going back to the kindergarten era, i've to use the "kindergarten method" in order to solve the matrix question.. in this case, it is clear that i'm using metaphor to illustrate that i'm using the longest way to solve the matrix question. hoping that i'll cope with this before the coming final exam.. i wants to score in the final!!

ad H o R m i n 3 M fallacy

In analysing an argument, there are four steps involved:
1) Reconstruction
2) assessment
3) evaluation
4) fallacies identification



The following discussion will be on the ad horminem fallacy



as we can see from the chart above, the ad horminem fallacy can be divided into three main types.

ad horminem abusive

this fallacy is used to attack the person who is making the argument, rather than the ideas in the argument.

for example:
Study hard then we will be able to get good result. Don't listen to lazy people who do not have ideas on what they're talking about.

ad horminem circumstantial

this is a fallacy used to dismiss an argument by attacking people who presumably accept that argument because it addresses the circumstances of those who hold the position.

for example:
Mr. Johnson says that vitamin pills is good for health if it is being consumed in adequate volume. But, he is the project manager of the vitamin pill company, so it is not surprise for him to say that consuming vitamin pills is good for health since he wants lots of people to buy the vitamin.

tu quoque

this fallacy is used to accuse another person of the ame trait or characteristic that person has attributed to you.

for example:
How can you say that i did not study for my mid-term test? Since you are watching TVB drama right before the mid-term test, and did not study for mid-term test.

...F a L l a c i 3 s...

after reading chia how's blog (on the past incident that he in loved with a girl).. i've recap back that i've used a fallacy few weeks past while chating with chia how..

during that week i was not happy.. and he saw my personal message in MSN messenger..
"not happie.. smile and laugh doesn't mean that i'm happie".. after reading that, he was very curious of why i'm not happy..

i told him that i'm an emo person.. he said that girls are emotional.. there is sometime that i will be emotional and unhappy but i ownself don't know the reason.. so i admit that i'm emotional..

actually there is a reason why i'm not happy.. i did badly in mathematics for finance mid-term test paper.. sad to say that the question that i can't do, question that i've gave up was matrix!! i was really unhappy with it..

i told him i can't do matrix question. i got a strong feeling that i will get a bad result since i didn't perform well in the paper. additionally, our malaysian studies paper is tough. as a result, i've made a conclusion that i would not be able to get first class during this semester. and this is the very first sem i'm in MMU. this sem is all about the foundation subject, and if i can't get first class in this semester, i think that i would not be able to get first class in the future..



in this scene, it is obvious that i've been using the fallacy of ad populum appeal to indirect cosequences. in this case, i've assumed that if i wouldn't get high marks in my mathes paper for this sem, i will not be getting first class, and thus it is impossible for me to get first class in the future. yet, there isn't any proof showing that i can't get first class in the future is caused by the poor marks that i obtained for the subject of mathes in this sem.

My r O o m M s t 3 s...

today, one of my room mate(qing), took one of her bag out and the other room mate(Yy) said that there is someone saw Qing and said that she looks cool.. i asked her what do they mean by the word "cool".. and Yy said cool means cool!!..

in this conversation, Yy has used the vague word when she said that her friend said Qing is cool.. in what sense does she looks cool and what characteristics can one person can be described as cool? i don get the clear picture from that statement. the word COOL doesn't have a clear meaning in it..

another fallacy that was used by Yy is Pettitio principii. when i asked her what do they mean by the word "cool", she said cool means cool.. in this case, she doesn't give any reason on why they describe a person as cool.. it is clear that she has used pettitio principii in our conversation.