Infallible Fallacies

I came to a conclusion today: There will always be things I don’t understand.

I mean, I knew it, but I didn’t understand why I was always surprised when something not-understandable happened.

Exhibit A.

I also view myself as a very understanding person. I like to work things backward, delineate to the origin of thought, and view perspectives from an empathetic standpoint. It’s how I am, whether I think about it or not.

So when I learn about absolutely crazy, ridiculous how-did-they-come-up-with-that situations or viewpoints, I am intrigued by the thought process behind it.

Today, I learned sometimes there just isn’t one. A thought process, I mean.

In one of my classes, we’ve been discussing critical and logical thinking, especially fallacies. Fallacies are inadequacies in the logical process of coming to conclusions. There are several different fallacies, all very much at function in society and in regular conversation.

Frankly, it’s a little scary to me.

It’s one thing for a joke or for a light issue. But when it’s real, heavy, serious stuff, it’s just downright lame.

Take the Pharisees for example. They were so built on law and narrow-minded about right and wrong that they lost perspective on what really mattered. They drew too many hasty generalizations and made too many false conclusions about what God wanted because their focus was on themselves and their righteousness, as well as the wickedness of anyone else.

Sound familiar today? I still think it is.

Instead of harboring thoughts that are thought out of poor motives or without intellect, I am reminded of this passage to encourage our reasoning behind our reasoning:

“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.” – Hebrews 3:1-3

Sounds pretty logical to me. I find it safe to conclude that when I fix my thoughts on Jesus and rid myself of every pesky distraction this world likes to dish out, not only is there peace in my life, but I am able to conclude and think more clearly. Ideas make more sense, ways to love are more natural and I am more apt in the fruits of the Spirit. On top of that, I am reminded of God’s love for me and what I can do (or not do) to fulfill his purpose in my life.

Does that make sense?

I certainly need to work on fixing my thoughts on Jesus a lot more often.

Fallacies I learned about in class…take ‘em or leave ‘em:

1. Dicto Simpliciter: Making unqualified generalizations
2. Hasty generalization: Drawing conclusions from too few sufficient instances
3. Post hoc: Sequence does not imply causation; no connection in cause to effect
4. Contradictory premises: Evidence contradicts itself
5. Red herring: Distraction off the path of the argument
6. Begging the question: Defending circular arguments
7. Poisoning the well: Creating a prejudice or bias without firm evidence to support
8. Naturalistic: If something is natural, then it is good and right.
9. Appeal to emotion: Extreme engagements of emotion in argument.
10. Ad hominem: Attack against the arguer, not the actual argument

What fallacies are we guilty of?