One-fourth of mammals face extinctionI'm thinking, given their current polls, that Republicans may find themselves among the unfortunate quartile.
Humans are mammals
Therefore one-fourth of humans face extinction
Okay, okay, I know that that the headline should have indicated is that one-fourth of animal species are facing extinction, but I'm still interested to now if anyone can spot what is wrong with this argument.
7 comments:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7651981.stm
Well, prof, even assuming that the first statement is true, humans do not make up any where near one quarter of the mammal population, so the final statement is false.
That, of course, is why we know we have a fallacy on our hands: because the premises are true and the conclusion false. But the question is still what is wrong with the reasoning.
The problem is with the second statement. If it was reversed and read "Mammals are Humans" then it would be true.
Kari,
No. All that would do is give you a false premise in addition to a false conclusion, and would make it formally invalid since it would (in addition to the problem it already has) make it commit the fallacy of illicit minor.
I'll explain it tomorrow if no one else does.
"Some mammals are facing extinction
All humans are mammals
Therefore, some humans are facing extinction"
IAI in sub-prae. Not a valid form. We cannot necessarily deduce that humans are part of the group of mammals that are facing extinction.
-Aidan
undistributed middle
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