LOGIC- IT'S NOT JUST FOR VULCANS, AND VIEWERS OF "THE BIG BANG THEORY." SHELDON AND HIS MOTHER- POST HOC, ERGO PROPTER HOC, AND THE FALLACY OF TRUTH BY ASSOCIATION. PT 1.

 (FIRST PUBLISHED ON 10/5/2014.)

Since Logic now how has its own page and category, I thought it might be appropriate if we took an example of a Logical Fallacy from "THE BIG BANG THEORY."  This one is called POST HOC, ERGO PROPTER HOC.  

Also, this article will expand this example to include the Fallacy of TRUTH BY ASSOCIATION.

The first episode of the third season, entitled "THE ELECTRICAL CAN OPENER FLUCTUATION", Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj return from their trip to the Magnetic North Pole.  As he is walking through the door into the apartment, Sheldon has the following exchange with his mother while on the phone:

"No mother, I could not feel your church group praying for my safety.  The fact that 

I'm home safe does not prove that it worked. That logic is Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc."

Translated from Latin, it means, "After this, therefore because of this."  It is the Logical Fallacy of assuming a causal relationship between two events, and excluding everything else without justification.

To make this easier to understand here is the breakdown;

                            Sheldon goes on his trip,

                                          

                                          Then,

                    Sheldons mom, and her church group pray 

                                      for his safety,

                                           Then,

                            Sheldon returns home safely,

                                         Therefore,

                          The prayer ensured his safety. 

What Sheldon could have pointed out, to his mother, is that his safe return could be the result of one, or  more of the following: 

1)  Proper planning.

2)  Safety procedures that were followed while en route, or on the way home.

3)  Adequate Water, Food, Clothes etc, to amply supply their needs. 

4)  Communications that allowed access to emergency aid from the outside world.

5)  The mental discipline and knowledge to meet any difficulty calmly and intellectually.

In other words, Sheldons mom concluded that the prayer was the reason for a safe

return, when in fact there may have been other reasons.

Before any of my readers, who believe in the power of prayer, say that I can't rule out Divine Intervention, my reply is simple;  

I AM NOT TRYING TO.

END PT 1.

BIDEN SAYS HIS ADMINISTRATION WILL TAKE ON GOP GOVERNORS BLOCKING MASKS IN SCHOOL.

 

NBC NEWS.

SHANNON PETTYPIECE AND LAUREN EGAN AND MONICA ALBA

August 18, 2021, 4:28 PM

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he was directing the Education Department to use its legal authority against Republican governors who are trying to block local school officials from requiring students to wear masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Speaking at the White House, Biden said some politicians are trying to turn public safety measures into "political disputes for their own political gain" and warned that they are "setting a dangerous tone."

Biden said he had directed Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to wield his oversight authority and take legal action "if appropriate."

"We're not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators protecting our children," Biden said.Republican governors across the country have recently signed executive orders or enacted laws seeking to prevent local officials from imposing new mask mandates. As children head back to school amid a surge in the delta variant of the coronavirus, some local officials have decided that ignoring the measures is the only way to protect children, especially those under age 12, who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated.

Biden said emergency Covid funding in the American Rescue Plan could cover educators' salaries if their pay is cut for requiring masks in their classrooms.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all students in kindergarten through 12th grade wear masks when they return to classrooms for the new school year.

Biden also said Wednesday that all nursing homes will have to require staff members to be vaccinated to keep receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding, which will affect about 15,000 nursing homes and more than 1.3 million employees, an administration official said

About 60 percent of nursing home staffers are already fully vaccinated, according to data from the CDC.

Nursing homes heavily depend on Medicare and Medicaid funds, and some have raised concerns that they would lose staff members if they required them to be vaccinated in an already tight job market.

With a surge in Covid infections the Biden administration been looking to use whatever levers it has to pressure more Americans to get vaccinated.

"While I am mindful that my authority at the federal level is limited, I am going to continue look for ways to keep people safe and increase vaccination rates," Biden said Wednesday. Biden has already required that all health care and nursing home workers with Veterans Affairs be vaccinated and that federal employees get vaccinated or undergo routine testing. Many private-sector companies and universities have also begun requiring vaccinations.

The new policy could go into effect as early as next month. The timing is fluid as the administration works with nursing homes to ramp up vaccinations in the coming weeks, the official said.

Biden administration officials said this month that they were discussing using federal authorities and regulatory powers, including withholding federal funds, to persuade institutions to require their employees to get vaccinated, including nursing homes.

Nursing home residents have been particularly at risk for coronavirus infections even after they have been vaccinated. Data from the CDC showed that the vaccines' effectiveness dropped from 75 percent in March to 53 percent by August. Administration officials said Wednesday that they would recommend that all adults get booster shots eight months after their first doses starting next month.

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)

THIS ANALYSIS IS AS TRUE NOW, AS IT WAS 5 YEARS AGO.

 (I FIRST PUBLISHED THIS ARTICLE ON 7/12/2016.  THE ONLY THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED ARE: THE REPUBLICAN PARTYS LOYALTY TO THE FAR-RIGHT ELEMENT OF THE GOP HAS INCREASED, WITH THEIR OBEDIENCE TO DONALD TRUMPS IRRATIONAL AND HATE-BASED RHETORIC BEING VIRTUALLY UNOPPOSED BY THE LEADERSHIP. WHAT HASN'T CHANGED IS THE ALMOST COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR PROPER INTELLECTUAL ANALYSIS AND DISCOURSE WHEN THE GOP FORMS ANY PART OF THEIR POLITICAL AGENDA. TO THEM VOTER IGNORANCE, IRRATIONALITY, AND PERSONAL PREJUDICES ARE TO BE EXPLOITED AT ANY COST.

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HATE CHRONICLES. THE KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE MINDSET, MOTIVATIONS, AND GOALS OF THE FAR-RIGHT FANATIC. #1.

It is a mistake for Progressives to think that those who make up the Most Conservative Elements of the "NEW REPUBLICAN PARTY" ARE ALL CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH. WHILE THEY MAY VOTE AS A BLOC,THE PRIMARY MOTIVATION DIFFERS FROM GROUP TO GROUP.

While They are usually Packaged Together, ULTRA CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS HAVE REALIZED THAT FINDING THE ONE KEY ISSUE THAT DRIVES CERTAIN GROUPS OF VOTERS TO THE POLLS, OFTEN WILL TURN THEM INTO LOYAL ALLIES, who will support an agenda full of Issues They may care little about.

It could be GUN CONTROL, SAME- SEX MARRIAGE, GOVERNMENT SPENDING, SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, IMMIGRATION LAWS, REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE etc. THE STRATEGY IS TO PUT FORTH AN UNCOMPROMISING, RIGID, AND VITRIOLIC POINT OF VIEW ON A PARTICULAR ISSUE, APPEALING TO THE BASER ELEMENTS OF HUMAN NATURE.

THE REASON: TO LEARN OF THE ONE ISSUE THAT EACH SECTION OF INDIVIDUAL VOTERS MOST IDENTIFIES WITH, AND MANIPULATE IT TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.

IT'S A TACTIC THAT REQUIRES NO INTELLECTUAL EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE LISTENER.THERE IS NO NEED TO UNDERSTAND, OR EVEN CARE ABOUT THE OPPOSITIONS POINT OF VIEW. IT PLAYS ON RAW EMOTION, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR CONTEMPLATION OR REFLECTION.

THE INDIVIDUAL IS ENCOURAGED NOT TO THINK ABOUT AN INTELLECTUAL JUSTIFICATION FOR THE OPINION THEY ARE SUPPORTING, BUT TO REACT TO THE WORDS OF THE AUTHOR AND\OR SPEAKER, AND ACCEPTING THE MESSAGE AS TRUE, AND WORTHY OF SUPPORT.  THIS, IN TURN, ENCOURAGES AGREEMENT WITH OTHER OPINIONS THAT ARE EXPRESSED THE SAME WAY.

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