The Vulcan Fallacy
In the sci-fi franchise Star Trek, there is a race called the Vulcans. Vulcans are known for being emotionless and logical. But I’ve noticed a certain fallacy they often fall prey to, which I have...
View ArticleThe Infinite Research Defense
The Infinite Research Defense is an irrational argument sometimes used in debates/discussions. It starts like this: Person A: “I believe X is true.” Person B: “Why do you believe X is true?” Person A:...
View ArticlePremises
If you start with a false premise, even the most excellent logic may lead you to a wrong conclusion
View ArticleCrows and Math
Here’s a riddle from Russia, used by an unorthodox educator to teach the subtle nature of math: Question: There were 10 crows sitting on a fence, but a cat came by and ate 1. How many crows were left...
View ArticleA Bowling Ball Argument
Consider the following argument: Bowling balls are heavy, and the Earth is heavy. Bowling balls are round. Therefore, the Earth is round. This is what I like to call a Bowling Ball Argument (or BBA);...
View ArticleProving a Negative
Theists sometimes ask Atheists to “Prove that God doesn’t exist.” Atheists typically respond with “You can’t prove a negative; the burden of proof lies with the believer.” While this may technically be...
View ArticleAll but two
I once heard a riddle: A farmer has some animals in a pen. All of them are sheep except two. All of them are cows except two. All of them are rabbits except two. What is the total number of animals in...
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