You Are Wrong Because
These are 32 reasons you are wrong from Scott Adams' book, The Joy of Work. With a little hardwork, we'll be able to find a fundementalist quote that fits each of them! But I need you guys' help,as it's actually pretty difficult...not because the fundamentalist logic isn't flawed, just because it doesn't fit these categories well. And a lot of it is based on the bible (which I have down as logical fallacy "Circular Reasoning". Anyway, the regular examples are Scott Adams and any filled in Fundamentalist ones I made up. So here we go:
For your convenience, I have written the brain malfunction(s) that
most closely resemble(s) the one(s) you recently made on the topic of homosexuality, evolution and Jesus as the source of salvation.
Amazingly Bad Analogy
Example: You can train a dog to fetch a stick. Therefore, you can train a potato to dance.
Fundamentalist Example:
Faulty Cause and Effect
Example: On the basis of my observations, wearing huge trousers makes you fat.
Fundamentalist Example:
I am the World
Example: I don't listen to country music. Therefore, country music is not popular.
Fundamentalist Example:
Ignoring Everything Science Knows about the Brain
Example: People choose to be obese/gay/alcoholic because they prefer the lifestyle.
Fundamentalist Example:
The Few are the Same as the Whole
Example: Some Elbonians are animal rights activists. Some Elbonians wear fur coats. Therefore, Elbonians are hypocrites.
Fundamentalist Example: "Homosexual activist Andrew Sullivan say that heterosexuals should learn from the homosexual example to get over their hang-up about marital faithfulness. The committed homosexual relationship is a myth."
Generalizing from Self
Example: I'm a liar. Therefore, I don't believe what you're saying.
Fundamentalist Example: God (and Jesus) is the only thing that gives my life meaning. You have to believe in God (and Jesus) so that your life can have meaning.
Argument by Bizarre Definition
Example: He's not a criminal. He just does things that are against the law.
Fundamentalist Example:
Total Logical Disconnect
Example: I enjoy pasta because my house is made of bricks.
Fundamentalist Example: "One can of course do this with numerous scientific examples, showing how the issue of sin and judgment, for example, is relevant to geology and fossil evidence. And how the Fall of man, with the subsequent Curse on creation, makes sense of the evidence of harmful mutations, violence, and death."
Judging Things Without Comparison to Alternatives
Example: I don't invest in US Treasury bills. There's too much risk.
Anything You Don't Understand is Easy to Do.
Example: If you have the right tools, how hard could it be to generate nuclear fission at home?
Fundamentalist Example: Can't think of anything.
Ignorance of statistics
Example: I'm putting ALL of my money on the lottery this week because the jackpot is so big.
Fundamentalist Example:
Ignoring the Downside Risk
Example: I know that bungee jumping could kill me, but it's three seconds of great fun!
Fundamentalist Example:
Substituting Famous Quotes for Common Sense
Example: Remember, "All good things come to those who wait." So don't bother looking for a job.
Fundamentalist Example:
Irrelevant Comparisons
Example: A hundred dollars is a good price for a toaster, compared to buying a Ferrari.
Fundamentalist Example:
Circular Reasoning
Example: I'm correct because I'm smarter than you. And I must be smarter than you because I'm correct.
Fundamentalist Example: They give this statement: "Truth can/should be determined independent of God." Then say that it is incorrect because: "the Bible states: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’ (Psalm 111:10); ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge’ (Proverbs 1:7). ‘But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned’ (1 Corinthians 2:14)." So God is relevant to the argument because God says he is relevant to the argument.
Incompleteness as Proof of Defect
Example: Your theory of gravity doesn't address the question of why there are no unicorns, so it must be wrong.
Fundamentalist Example: You can't prove a)evolution beyond a doubt b)that homosexuality is not changable, therefore you are wrong.
Ignoring the Advice of Experts Without Good Reason
Example: Sure, the experts think you shouldn't ride a bicycle into the eye of a hurricane, but I have my own theory.
Fundamentalist Example:
Following the Advice of Known Idiots
Example: Uncle Billy says pork makes you smarter. That's good enough for me!
Fundamentalist Example:
Reaching Bizarre Conclusions Without Any Information
Example: The car won't start. I'm certain the spark plugs have been stolen by rogue clowns.
Fundamentalist Example:
Faulty Pattern Recognition
Example: His last six wives were murdered mysteriously. I hope to be wife number seven.
Fundamentalist Example:
Failure to Recognise what's Important
Example: My house is on fire! Quick, call the post office and tell them to hold my mail!
Fundamentalist Example: As long as we stop the homosexuals from having homosexual relations, it doesn't matter if they're miserable and suicidal.
Unclear on the concept of sunk costs
Example: We've spent millions developing a water-powered pogo stick. We can't stop investing now or it will all be wasted.
Fundamentalist Example:
Overapplication of Occam's Razor (Which says that the simplest explanation is usually right)
Example: The simplest explanation for the moon landings is that they were hoaxes.
Fundamentalist Example: Evolution? God makes so much more sense, then cells evolving out of nowhere.
Ignoring all Anecdotal Evidence
Example: I always get hives immediately after eating strawberries. But withouta scientifically controlled experiment, it's not reliable data. So I continue to eat strawberries every day, since I can't tell if they cause hives.
Fundamental Example:
Inability to Understand That Some Things Have Multiple Causes
Example: The Beatles were popular for one reason only: They were good singers.
Fundamentalist Example:
Judging the Whole by One of Its Characteristics
Example: The sun causes sunburns. Therefore, the planet would be better off without the sun.
Fundamentalist Example: Homosexual people have sex a lot. Therefore, they only live for sex and are indecent human beings.
Blinding Flashes of the Obvious
Example: If everyone had more money, we could eliminate poverty.
Fundamentalist Example: If no homosexual people had sex, they wouldn't get STDs.
Blaming the Tool
Example: I bought an encyclopaedia but I'm still stupid. This encyclopaedia must be defective.
Fundamentalist Example:
Hallicinations of Reality
Example: I got my facts from a talking tree.
Fundamentalist Example: Christ spoke to me, personally.
Taking Things to Their Illogical Conclusion
Example: If you let your barber cut your hair, the next thing you know he'll be lopping off your limbs!
Fundamentalist Example: "The tree of homosexuality bears bad fruit. Sodomitical acts have not only external consequences like death, disease and childlessness, but internal ones. Some of the internal consequences are psychological, like loneliness and compulsive behavior. Others are moral, for we cannot violate the human design yet expect things to go on as they were; 'that road leads down and down.'"
Failure to Understand Why Rules Don't Have Exceptions
Example: It should be legal to shoplift, as long as you don't take enough to hurt the company's earnings.
Fundamentalist Example:
Proof by Lack of Evidence
Example: I've never seen you drunk, so you must be one of those Amish people.
Fundamentalist Example: No one has proved that homosexuality is biological, therefore it is not.
The fundamentalist quotes listed above are from troubledwith.org and answersingenesis.org. The text of you are wrong because is from The Joy of Work by Scott Adams.
For your convenience, I have written the brain malfunction(s) that
most closely resemble(s) the one(s) you recently made on the topic of homosexuality, evolution and Jesus as the source of salvation.
Amazingly Bad Analogy
Example: You can train a dog to fetch a stick. Therefore, you can train a potato to dance.
Fundamentalist Example:
Faulty Cause and Effect
Example: On the basis of my observations, wearing huge trousers makes you fat.
Fundamentalist Example:
I am the World
Example: I don't listen to country music. Therefore, country music is not popular.
Fundamentalist Example:
Ignoring Everything Science Knows about the Brain
Example: People choose to be obese/gay/alcoholic because they prefer the lifestyle.
Fundamentalist Example:
The Few are the Same as the Whole
Example: Some Elbonians are animal rights activists. Some Elbonians wear fur coats. Therefore, Elbonians are hypocrites.
Fundamentalist Example: "Homosexual activist Andrew Sullivan say that heterosexuals should learn from the homosexual example to get over their hang-up about marital faithfulness. The committed homosexual relationship is a myth."
Generalizing from Self
Example: I'm a liar. Therefore, I don't believe what you're saying.
Fundamentalist Example: God (and Jesus) is the only thing that gives my life meaning. You have to believe in God (and Jesus) so that your life can have meaning.
Argument by Bizarre Definition
Example: He's not a criminal. He just does things that are against the law.
Fundamentalist Example:
Total Logical Disconnect
Example: I enjoy pasta because my house is made of bricks.
Fundamentalist Example: "One can of course do this with numerous scientific examples, showing how the issue of sin and judgment, for example, is relevant to geology and fossil evidence. And how the Fall of man, with the subsequent Curse on creation, makes sense of the evidence of harmful mutations, violence, and death."
Judging Things Without Comparison to Alternatives
Example: I don't invest in US Treasury bills. There's too much risk.
Anything You Don't Understand is Easy to Do.
Example: If you have the right tools, how hard could it be to generate nuclear fission at home?
Fundamentalist Example: Can't think of anything.
Ignorance of statistics
Example: I'm putting ALL of my money on the lottery this week because the jackpot is so big.
Fundamentalist Example:
Ignoring the Downside Risk
Example: I know that bungee jumping could kill me, but it's three seconds of great fun!
Fundamentalist Example:
Substituting Famous Quotes for Common Sense
Example: Remember, "All good things come to those who wait." So don't bother looking for a job.
Fundamentalist Example:
Irrelevant Comparisons
Example: A hundred dollars is a good price for a toaster, compared to buying a Ferrari.
Fundamentalist Example:
Circular Reasoning
Example: I'm correct because I'm smarter than you. And I must be smarter than you because I'm correct.
Fundamentalist Example: They give this statement: "Truth can/should be determined independent of God." Then say that it is incorrect because: "the Bible states: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’ (Psalm 111:10); ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge’ (Proverbs 1:7). ‘But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned’ (1 Corinthians 2:14)." So God is relevant to the argument because God says he is relevant to the argument.
Incompleteness as Proof of Defect
Example: Your theory of gravity doesn't address the question of why there are no unicorns, so it must be wrong.
Fundamentalist Example: You can't prove a)evolution beyond a doubt b)that homosexuality is not changable, therefore you are wrong.
Ignoring the Advice of Experts Without Good Reason
Example: Sure, the experts think you shouldn't ride a bicycle into the eye of a hurricane, but I have my own theory.
Fundamentalist Example:
Following the Advice of Known Idiots
Example: Uncle Billy says pork makes you smarter. That's good enough for me!
Fundamentalist Example:
Reaching Bizarre Conclusions Without Any Information
Example: The car won't start. I'm certain the spark plugs have been stolen by rogue clowns.
Fundamentalist Example:
Faulty Pattern Recognition
Example: His last six wives were murdered mysteriously. I hope to be wife number seven.
Fundamentalist Example:
Failure to Recognise what's Important
Example: My house is on fire! Quick, call the post office and tell them to hold my mail!
Fundamentalist Example: As long as we stop the homosexuals from having homosexual relations, it doesn't matter if they're miserable and suicidal.
Unclear on the concept of sunk costs
Example: We've spent millions developing a water-powered pogo stick. We can't stop investing now or it will all be wasted.
Fundamentalist Example:
Overapplication of Occam's Razor (Which says that the simplest explanation is usually right)
Example: The simplest explanation for the moon landings is that they were hoaxes.
Fundamentalist Example: Evolution? God makes so much more sense, then cells evolving out of nowhere.
Ignoring all Anecdotal Evidence
Example: I always get hives immediately after eating strawberries. But withouta scientifically controlled experiment, it's not reliable data. So I continue to eat strawberries every day, since I can't tell if they cause hives.
Fundamental Example:
Inability to Understand That Some Things Have Multiple Causes
Example: The Beatles were popular for one reason only: They were good singers.
Fundamentalist Example:
Judging the Whole by One of Its Characteristics
Example: The sun causes sunburns. Therefore, the planet would be better off without the sun.
Fundamentalist Example: Homosexual people have sex a lot. Therefore, they only live for sex and are indecent human beings.
Blinding Flashes of the Obvious
Example: If everyone had more money, we could eliminate poverty.
Fundamentalist Example: If no homosexual people had sex, they wouldn't get STDs.
Blaming the Tool
Example: I bought an encyclopaedia but I'm still stupid. This encyclopaedia must be defective.
Fundamentalist Example:
Hallicinations of Reality
Example: I got my facts from a talking tree.
Fundamentalist Example: Christ spoke to me, personally.
Taking Things to Their Illogical Conclusion
Example: If you let your barber cut your hair, the next thing you know he'll be lopping off your limbs!
Fundamentalist Example: "The tree of homosexuality bears bad fruit. Sodomitical acts have not only external consequences like death, disease and childlessness, but internal ones. Some of the internal consequences are psychological, like loneliness and compulsive behavior. Others are moral, for we cannot violate the human design yet expect things to go on as they were; 'that road leads down and down.'"
Failure to Understand Why Rules Don't Have Exceptions
Example: It should be legal to shoplift, as long as you don't take enough to hurt the company's earnings.
Fundamentalist Example:
Proof by Lack of Evidence
Example: I've never seen you drunk, so you must be one of those Amish people.
Fundamentalist Example: No one has proved that homosexuality is biological, therefore it is not.
The fundamentalist quotes listed above are from troubledwith.org and answersingenesis.org. The text of you are wrong because is from The Joy of Work by Scott Adams.