Reason as a Way of Knowing - Logical Fallacies

1.   
• Fallacy: Middle Ground (also known as Golden Mean Fallacy & Fallacy of Moderation)
• Definition: Person #1 and Person #2 hold two radically different positions on a subject. Person #3's position on the subject is halfway between that of Person #1 and Person #2. The fallacy is that Person #3's position is correct simply because he holds the middle position. 
• Example: I believe that there is a God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all good. Someone else is an atheist, meaning that he believes that no God exists at all. The fallacy is to assume that another classmate who is agnostic, meaning he acknowledges the possibility of God but does not believe in Him, is correct because he holds the "neutral" position.  
2.   
• Fallacy: Two Wrongs Make a Right
• Definition: Person #2 claims that Person #1 would do (insert anything here) to him and thus it is acceptable for Person #2 to do this back to Person #1 if Person #2's actions are not preventive measures. This reasoning is fallacious because an action that is wrong is wrong even if another person would also do it. 
• Example: Sturgis soccer is playing an opposing team, and the players on that opposing team are extremely physical. During the game, one of the players on the opposing team trips me. The fallacy is to assume that I can trip this person again. 
3.  
• Fallacy: Appeal to Common Practice
• Definition: C is a common action, and C is therefore correct, reasonable, moral, etc. The fallacy is assuming that because most people do something it is correct, reasonable, or moral. 
• Example: Suppose you are driving on Rt. 28 on your way to school, and you estimate that 75% of the drivers are going over the speed limit. The fallacy is to believe it is justified to drive over the speed limit because that is what everyone else is doing. 

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMt6TFO0zn4

Fallacy: Appeal to Popularity

In this video, CoverGirl uses celebrity Taylor Swift to attract customers. CoverGirl has Taylor tell the ad watchers to buy Covergirl mascara and lipstick to "rock the covergirls we are." Through Taylor Swift's use of CoverGirl's products and endorsement of them, CoverGirl hopes that ordinary girls will see the ad as good reason to buy their products.