With good reason : an introduction to informal fallacies

A concise, easy-to-read introduction to informal logic, With Good Reason offers both comprehensive coverage of informal fallacies and an abundance of engaging examples of both well-conceived and faulty arguments. A long-time favorite of both students and instructors, the text continues in its sixth edition to provide an abundance of exercises that help students identify, correct, and avoid common errors in argumentation. 1. The nature and scope of logic : Logic as science and art ; Logic as the study of argument ; Arguments and nonarguments ; Eliminating verbiage ; Missing components ; Highlighting suspect elements ; Evaluating arguments: Truth, validity, and soundness ; Deductive and inductive arguments ; Logic and education 2. The medium of language : Language and thought ; Signs and symbols ; Words and things ; The uses of language ; Ambiguity and vagueness ; Verbal disputes ; Definition ; The art of plain talk 3. Fallacies of ambiguity : The fallacy of equivocation ; The fallacy of amphiboly ; The fallacy of accent ; The fallacy of hypostatization ; The fallacies of division and composition 4. Fallacies of presumption : Overlooking the facts ; The fallacy of sweeping generalizations ; The fallacy of hasty generalization ; The fallacy of bifurcation ; Evading the facts ; The fallacy of begging the question ; The fallacy of question-begging epithets ; The fallacy of complex question ; The fallacy of special pleading ; Distorting the facts ; The fallacy of false analogy ; The fallacy of false cause ; The fallacy of slippery slope ; The fallacy of irrelevant thesis 5. Fallacies of relevance : The fallacy of personal attack ; Genetic fallacy ; Abusive ad hominem ; Circumstantial and hominem ; Tu quoque ; Poisoning the well ; The fallacy of mob appeal ; The fallacy of appeal to pity ; The fallacy of appeal to authority ; The authority of the one ; The authority of the many ; The authority of the select few ; The authority of tradition ; The fallacy of appeal to ignorance ; The fallacy of appeal to fear. Providing a concise introduction to informal logic, With Good Reason offers comprehensive coverage of informal fallacies along with an abundance of engaging examples of both well-conceived and faulty arguments, helping you gain proficiency in identifying, correcting, and avoiding common errors in argumentation