PHI 1101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Fallacy, Rand Paul, Liability Insurance

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHI 1101
• Professor: Sascha Maicher

Document Summary

Arguments that are supposed to raise the probability of their conclusions, but are so weak as to fail almost entirely to do so. Generalizing from too few cases (hasty generalization: arriving at a general statement or rule by citing too few supporting cases or from samples that are too small. Example: the food in l. a. is lousy, judging from this meal. Generalizing from exceptional cases: arriving at a general statement or rule by citing an atypical supporting case. Generalizing from cases that are exceptional or from samples that are biased. Example: animals live longer if they are on a calorie- restricted diet. This has been shown in experiments with rats (can"t assume that because it works for rats that it"ll work for every animal) Accident: occurs when a speaker or writer assumes that a general statement automatically applies to a specific case that is (or could be) exceptional. Applying a general statement to an exceptional case.