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Rawd Alach

Response Paper: Fallacious Arguments

“Read the online posting of Lunsford & Ruszkiewicz, “Fallacies of Argument.” Write up an analysis of some communication in your life (personal, print, broadcast, &c.), describing several fallacies. OR, write a fictional scene or advertisement, employing as many fallacies as you can.”

Fallacious arguments are flawed by nature, misleading, and manipulative. Therefore, they are often used in advertising. To show how they appear for the promotion of a product, read the following scene.

Super Bread: It’s so simple, it’s SUPER!

In a supermarket somewhere in New Mexico, Fred, a supermarket employee, is calling out to passing customers saying, “Come one, come all, either try ٍSuper Bread or buy Super Bread. Otherwise, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!”

British Narrator: Fred has just used an either-or fallacy.

Fred continues endorsing the bread: “When you eat Super Bread, your wife’s nagging will sound like singing. Buy it today!”

British Narrator: Fred has just used a non-sequitur. He failed to connect his argument logically. But it seems he will do anything for business.

As Fred is chanting Super Bread’s motto an elderly woman waddles over to his stand eyeing the Super Bread. Fred notices how stiff her puffed up hair is as hands her a piece of the bread. As she opens her mouth to eat it she reveals her toothless pink gums. As she chews she chats, “After I choked on that Wonder Bread in 1929, I vowed never to eat bread again. But Super Bread was so soft I couldn’t resist, and I’ve never choked since.”

British Narrator: The delusional elderly woman made a hasty generalization about bread thinking that all breads were the cause of her choking.

Fred tells the elderly woman Super Bread is the best. Then a heavily muscled man approaches; his t-shirt stretching over his chest and biceps. He almost growls saying, “Super Bread could never make me super. I’m already super. I could crush your brain. I could lift your car. I could eat a horse alive.”
British Narrator: This avid steroid user has just taken part in begging the question, a circular fallacious argument.

As the elderly woman walks off giving Muscle Man a disapproving look, Fred wonders if he should fear for his life. He decides against the feeling. Then he notices the Red Cross logo on Muscle Man’s shirt. He says: “You will be happy to know that Super Bread is super because it donates 100,000 loafs of bread a day to the poor in Balho and Randa, cities in Djibouti.”

British Narrator: Fred has used a sentimental appeal to try and gain the huge man’s approval for the bread.

Then, a little black-haired girl gaily runs toward Muscle Man. She grabs his leg and giggles. Her mother is behind her with the shopping cart. Fred smiles at the girl and gives her a piece of bread trying to lean close enough without coming in contact with Muscle Man. The girl gladly nibbles on the bread.

Muscle Man growls, “I don’t like the look of you boy, that’s why I’m not buying your bread.”

British Narrator: Muscle Man has resorted to an ad hominem to repel Fred’s advertising.

His wife is close to Fred’s stand now. She picks up a piece of Super Bread and gives her husband a look she’s undoubtedly given him many times before. “Vince everyone with good taste knows Super Bread is the best bread around. We’re buying some.”

British Narrator: Muscle Man’s wife has used dogmatism to silence her husband.

Defeated by his female companion, Muscle Man picks up his little girl with one quick scoop and walks off. His wife asks Fred for a two loafs of bread. She smiles, puts them in her cart, says thank you, and follows her husband down the aisle.

Fred spends a moment basking in his glory. Then he says: “Super Bread! Super Bread! Everyone’s buying it, get your loaf today!”

British Narrator: Fred has moved on to bandwagon appeals to sell Super Bread. I must go get my loaf now to see what all the excitement is about.