Your Favorite Fallacy or Cognitive Bias

Discussion: Your Favorite Fallacy or Cognitive Bias
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Objectives:

Describe a cognitive bias or informal fallacy and give an example.
Express critical thinking concepts clearly in writing.
Reflect on how fallacies and biases have led you to make mistakes in the past
Collaborate with others to improve critical thinking skills.
Practice proper citation.
Reading Materials:
Ch. 2.2-2.3 Overcoming Cognitive Biases from Open Stax Introduction to PhilosophyLinks to an external site.
Ch. 5.5 Informal Fallacies from Open Stax Introduction to PhilosophyLinks to an external site.
FallacyFiles.orgLinks to an external site.
Instructions:

Write 3 paragraphs explaining the following:

1. Define ONE SPECIFIC informal fallacy or cognitive bias. (i.e., “ad hominem,” “False dichotomy,” “Confirmation bias” etc.) Make sure to use a formal definition and cite the source. Cite as (author, page number).

2. Explain the informal fallacy or cognitive bias by using an example of an argument that commits that fallacy or an example of faulty reasoning due to the cognitive bias. Preferably choose an example where you made the mistake. If you use someone else’s example, be sure to put it in quotation marks and include a proper citation, i.e., (author, page number). Remember, you are USING the example to support your explanation of how the fallacy works, so explain the example briefly.

3. Provide a works cited page. MLA citation guide.

4. Reply to two classmates’ posts. Check the module schedule for when the replies are due. One reply MUST include the following:

* Provide an example of an argument that commits the fallacy that the classmate is explaining. This is to help your classmate further support their explanation of the fallacy. For example, if someone is writing about a Straw Man fallacy, explain an argument that commits the fallacy of a Straw Man.

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