Fallacies of logic don't just occur in academic writing or in formal debates. Popular media is rife with fallacies. And for some people, it might be easier to grasp the concept of fallacies by first spotting how they occur in media.
In this assignment, I'm going to present four media samples for your analysis. I want you to tell me which fallacy or fallacies of logic are represented in each of the scenarios. (You may need to rewatch the video presentations in Assignment #4 to refresh your memory on the various fallacies because I'd like you to use the labels presented in those two videos.) Then I want you to explain to me how those fallacies evade the truth. See the example below for one way you might approach the task.
Email your responses to me at bboydston@piu.edu (No attachments, please. Write them in the body of the email.) or share them with me as a Google Doc. This assignment, which is worth 70 points.
EXAMPLE:
I recognize this as an appeal to popularity or bandwagon. This fallacy presents the idea that popularity should be the driving force for how we dress. Because all the cool kids in the commercial buy their clothes at Old Navy, if you want to be popular you have to buy your clothes at Old Navy, too. This might also be an example of a false dichotomy. The rich kid in the car has bought into the idea that he has to look totally like the other kids in order to be successful. Either you dress a certain way or you can't be popular. This ignores the fact that there are many successful children who dress differently from others.
MEDIA SAMPLE #1 -- BLONDE COMES INTO THE LIBRARY
MEDIA SAMPLE #4 COLLEGE PROFESSOR FLUNKS ENTIRE CLASS
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