The Fallacy Fallacy | Idea Channel | PBS Digital Studios

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Become better at arguing! We dive into the Fallacy Fallacy and show you who to avoid it.

Watch the entire Fallacy playlist:

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MUSIC:

"Dream Of Autumn" by Night Shift Master

"Dizor" by Outsider

"Lets go back to the rock" by Outsider

"Something like this" by Outsider

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[henrygreen]

Probably my favourite fallacy because it’s probably the most common one you’ll run into. People skim through a fallacy list and assume one fallacy makes you 100% wrong.

[Timewarpiaman]

What about the Fallacy Fallacy Fallacy where you assume someone is wrong because they assumed someone was wrong because they made a fallacy

[marleyfrost]

Best spoken description of Coldplay ever uttered.

[theKurtAnderson]

"The internet is one of nuance's many natural predators"

This is my new favorite thing

[jonahfalcon]

Now that I think of it, I want a sitcom called "Hay Mike, Straw Mike!"

[Yamayamauchiman]

I've seen people employ the fallacy fallacy facllacy... Not even joking.

Pointing out someone's fallacy sometimes gets the response: "fallacy fallacy!"

If the person does not convey that this fallacy disproves the statement in and of itself, then (s)he is not making a fallacy fallacy. Therefore I call wrongfully pointing out a fallacy fallacy: a fallacy fallacy fallacy.

I guess if you wrongfully point this out, you are making a fallacy fallacy fallacy fallacy... oh god...

[SonicLover]

I love this guy. its so easy to understand new concepts with him. even my teacher uses him in class.

[newcoolvid]

However, a fallacious point is an invalid point, regardless of whether the conclusion is correct or not.

[henrymarcello]

When understanding that people might use logical fallacies, not discounting their intended goal is VERY important. Thanks mike!

[XRedDemon]

Please more fallacy videos. They're fantastic, useful, and informational.

[DerekMcDowBooks]

Mike, I didn't think I could love you any more but you've outdone yourself with this Fallacy Series! 

[paradoxacres]

"Straw Man Mike" reminds me of that french fries mascot from Steven Universe. 

Now I'm hungry for fries.

[Deantrey]

That was helpful, but what was even more helpful was that incredibly accurate description of Coldplay. 

[SaintMatthieuSimard]

I just improved my French. "Ad Hominem": Targeting the arguer instead of the argument.

[OrangeHand]

Coldplay is awesome and I stand by that statement.

[NeonBombManchester]

Never heard anyone pronounce it "jife". That was uncomfortable.

[DOTheGamingGuy]

Thanks, my professor described this in such a convoluted and round about way that none of the students understood wtf he was even trying to say.

PS. I hate philosophy classes.

[kiraroquette]

This is probably the most important one to know of ALL!

[paradoxacres]

As fun and informative as these videos are (I think I've unintentionally committed *every single one of these fallacies*), I can't help but feel uncomfortable with the idea that understanding fallacies will somehow make YouTube conversations less disgusting. 

Time and time again, I feel like I'm talking to inhuman creatures *pretending* to be human, thinking emotions and feelings can be quantifiable. I talk about liking/disliking movies or video games, yet it quickly turns into some sort of DEBATE ARENA where I have to defend every damn thing I say. 

[jaymillerreal]

How to win an arguement: Step 1: use any fallacy of your choosing in your arguement, step two, get called out on it, step 3 call them out on a fallacy fallacy then win the arguement through a fallacy fallacy. Your openment should be far too confused to counter