Logical fallacies are techniques that people use to make an argument appear convincing even when it is wrong. Learning how to identify and refute logical fallacies is one of the best ways to win in a discussion. Catching an opponent committing a fallacy will force him to retract his error or he will appear foolish or manipulative to his audience. There is a dark side to this. Once you learn to identify logical fallacies you will also be able to use them. Do not deliberately use them against fellow Pirates; it is extreme bad manners and you will most probably be caught out.

The Logical Fallacy – Argument from repetition

This is the use of endless repetition of an argument with the intention of winning the point by wearing down the opposition. However, differences in strategy and method can lead to varieties of outcome and these are handled in the sub-categories:

Ad nauseam:

This is where the repetition, to the point of feeling sick, leads the opponents to abandon the discussion out of sheer tiredness at the onslaught. The victors claim victory by default when all opponents have left.

PRATT Point refuted a thousand times:

Blocking of social media and comment sections by repeatedly raising points that have been shown to be false. Beloved of creationists and climate deniers. They will ignore counter arguments and repeat the claim unchanged over and over again.

A repeated untruth becomes perceived truth:

An insidious result of the continued repeating of a false argument is that in the minds of many people it becomes the default position. Broadcast news media are used to propagate propaganda in times of tensions between countries.

Examples:

A Pirate bringing up an unpopular policy for a vote every meeting. The policy is eventually adopted in order to shut them up and allow for more urgent discussion.

Evolution is just a theory.

Wake up sheeple!

………………………

You can read more about the ad nauseam logical fallacy in a wikipedia post and logical fallacies in general in this wikipedia article.
Remember that just because someone commits a logical fallacy, this does not mean that their argument is necessarily incorrect. If you have the time and resources then use the principles of scepticism to test their reasoning objectively.

This article is a part of a series called Effective Pirating:

Winning Discussions: Argument from Repetition – ad nauseum (Effective Pirating)
Winning Discussions: No True Scotsman (Effective Pirating) 02/02/15
Winning Discussions: The Fallacy Fallacy (Effective Pirating) 09/01/15
Winning Discussions: The Gambler’s Fallacy (Effective Pirating) 28/12/14
Winning Discussions: argumentum ad ignorantiam (Effective Pirating) 21/11/14
Winning Discussions: post hoc, ergo propter hoc (Effective Pirating) 13/11/14
Winning Discussions: Ad Hominem (Effective Pirating) 23/10/14
Winning Discussions: Appeal to Fear (Effective Pirating) 21/10/14
Winning Discussions: Begging the Question (Effective Pirating) 17/8/14
Winning Discussions – The Bandwagon Fallacy (Effective Pirating) 11/8/14
Effective Pirating: Winning Discussions – Tu Quoque 24/7/14
Effective Pirating: Winning Discussions – The Straw Man 17/7/14
Effective Pirating: Choose your Opponents Carefully 7/7/14

Featured image: CC BY-NC parkydoodles

About Andrew Reitemeyer

I joined the Pirate Party of Lower Saxony in Germany in April 2012, once I found out that non citizens were welcome to join and become active members of the Party.
I joined the Pirate Times soon after it was started as a proof reader and am now an editor and author. Since then I have returned to my native New Zealand and joined the Pirate Party of New Zealand.
Politically I come from the libertarian left and have, up to now, not regarded any political party as having a solution for the democratic deficit that envelops the world. With the advent of the Pirate Party, which truly embraces grass roots democracy, I have found a political home. The Pirate Times is a way I can contribute to furthering the Pirate Movement around the world.
Skype: frithogar

 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

 

Logical fallacies are techniques that people use to make an argument appear convincing even when it is wrong. Learning how to identify and refute logical fallacies is one of the…