The Web's Most Illogical Arguments

[djbaxter]

The Web's Most Illogical Arguments
by Robert Strohmeyer, PC World
Monday, December 14, 2009

Everywhere you look online, people are debating something. But not all arguments are created equal. Here are ten of the most common logical fallacies you'll encounter on the Internet.

The Internet is teeming with crazies, jerks, and blowhards; and in online forums, debaters are full of passionate intensity. Peruse the comments area on any popular blog, and you'll find more irrational rhetoric than you can shake an encyclopedia at.

What separates rational thought from bogus blather is logic. Unfortunately, sound logical thinking is a learned skill that's rarer than we might hope, and it's not the same as so-called common sense.

Many irrational comments are so clearly false that anyone can identify their shortcomings, but other fallacies may appear sensible at first glance. To help you separate the rational from the just plain wrong, I've rounded up examples of the most common logical fallacies you'll encounter on tech forums. I'll explain why these arguments don't work, so you'll be better equipped to counter them when someone uses them against you.

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