What makes a bad argument bad?

[jammycakes (James McKay)]

@Kendel

I read the articles and watched the videos that are referenced in the Cranky Uncle article. They were great! Particularly because they were accessible.

Few people out in the “real world” have any experience with formal logic or rhetoric, and would find anything like them intimidating and confusing. It doesn’t mean they’re dumb, just that they aren’t used to using this kind of abstract thinking and don’t approach the world in a purely logical way. Using FLICC as a model keeps the list short and relies on relatable concepts. I like it.

Thanks Kendel. That’s why I like it so much. I’m always on the lookout for easy-to-understand explanations of basic techniques that anyone can apply to filter out bad arguments, or at the very least to see why their arguments aren’t persuasive.

@Roy

@Kendel

Do people have any other good “crap detecting” tools they like to use, or encourage others to use?

I find that if an article is wrong about topics I’m familiar with, it’s likely to be wrong about topics I’m unfamiliar with too.

That’s very similar to the FizzBuzz Principle that I’ve mentioned before.

If an argument makes mistakes in dealing with the elementary basics that anyone can check, it’s pretty much a given that it isn’t going to fare any better when it comes to the more advanced details that are beyond you.