LOGIC. THE FALLACIES OF: SPECIAL PLEADING, APPEAL TO A HIGHER POWER, LACK OF FAITH, SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE. PART 1. (UPDATED)

 

You can take your pick, but each of the above FALLACIES applies to the same Basic Category, 

WHICH CAN BE DEFINED AS:

ANY FORM OF ARGUMENT THAT LEADS TO A CONCLUSION THAT IS BASED ON PURELY SUBJECTIVE CRITERIA, WHICH BY ITS VERY NATURE CANNOT BE ANALYZED, REFUTED, OR JUDGED BY THE RULES OF LOGIC AND CRITICAL THINKING.

Many times you will see these used by some as a Last Resort to help rescue a Debate, Discussion, or Argument they realize is being lost to the Opposition. It is a Tactic designed to appeal to the Emotions of the Target Audience, where CERTAIN WORDS AND TERMS ARE USED TO CREATE A REACTION THAT MOVES THE INDIVIDUAL FROM FORMING JUDGEMENTS BASED ON LOGIC AND CRITICAL THINKING, INTO THE REALM OF THE IRRATIONAL, WHERE PRECONCEIVED AND UNANALYZED CONCLUSIONS ARE ACCEPTED WITHOUT QUESTION.

Often we see the Spiritual, Religious, or Metaphysical Belief Systems of different individuals being exploited in this way, WHERE THE TERMINOLOGY AND MENTAL PROCESS THAT ACCEPTS CERTAIN WORLD VIEWS AS "TRUE" OR "GIVEN" WITHOUT THE NEED FOR PROPER INTELLECTUAL EXAMINATION, ARE MISUSED AND REDEFINED TO TRY AND PROVE A POINT THAT CANNOT BE MADE THROUGH RATIONAL MEANS.

In other examples, we find Q-ANON TYPE EXTREMISTS WHO CLAIM THAT THEY, ALONE, KNOW THE TRUTH, AND CANNOT BE BOTHERED TO JUSTIFY TO THE REST OF US THE REASONING BEHIND THE CONCLUSIONS AND ASSERTIONS THEY ARE MAKING. THEIR "DISCIPLES" ONLY CARE ABOUT ONE THING: BEING TOLD THAT THEY ARE "RIGHT" OR "CORRECT" IN THEIR THINKING, SO THERE IS NO NEED IN ASKING THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN,WHY, OR HOW OF THE MATTER. QUESTIONING ANY PART OF WHAT THEY ARE BEING TOLD IS TRUE INDICATES A LACK OF FAITH, AND COULD UPSET THEIR PRECONCEIVED WORLDVIEW.

Unfortunately for the rest of us, these BELIEF SYSTEMS leave the REALM OF CRITICAL THINKING AND THE RULES OF DEDUCTIVE AND INDUCTIVE LOGIC. THEY ARE PERSONAL EVALUATIONS, WHERE THE TRUTH ABOUT ANY SUBJECT IS MADE BY THE INDIVIDUAL, WITH NO INTELLECTUAL STANDARDS FOR OTHERS TO EVALUATE THE CONCLUSIONS OR ASSERTIONS BEING CLAIMED AS FACT.

This Individual can seek to Convince others of its value, but this is done on a Purely Emotional and Subjective Level. INTELLECTUAL REFLECTION IS NOT REQUIRED, OR EVEN DESIRED.

Now you may Think, What Harm is there in someone Offering this Type of Opinion? Nothing, as long as it applies to the Individual Alone. ( to be continued)