Unpacking the Fundamentals: A Beginner’s Guide to Basic Sentential Logic, Informal Fallacies and Cognitive Biases
Have you ever wondered why some arguments just don’t make sense or why you tend to believe certain things over others without any evidence to support it? This may be due to cognitive biases. In this article, we will unpack the fundamentals of basic sentential logic, informal fallacies and cognitive biases.
What is Basic Sentential Logic?
Basic sentential logic is a branch of philosophy that deals with analyzing arguments in terms of their logical structure. It involves identifying the premises and conclusions of an argument and evaluating if the reasoning is sound.
For example, consider the following argument: “All cats are mammals. Fluffy is a cat. Therefore, Fluffy is a mammal.” This argument is valid because the conclusion follows logically from the premises.
Being able to identify valid arguments is a fundamental skill in critical thinking, as it helps differentiate good arguments from bad ones.
What are Informal Fallacies?
Informal fallacies are errors in reasoning that occur when the logical structure of an argument is flawed. They can be categorized into various types, such as ad hominem, strawman, and appeal to authority.
An ad hominem fallacy is when someone attacks the person making the argument instead of addressing the argument itself. A strawman fallacy occurs when someone misrepresents their opponent’s argument or position. An appeal to authority fallacy is when someone appeals to an authority figure instead of presenting evidence or valid arguments.
Being able to identify informal fallacies is important in evaluating arguments and avoiding being misled by logical errors.
What are Cognitive Biases?
Cognitive biases are mental shortcuts that our brains use to simplify decision making. They can lead to errors in judgment and decision making. Some common cognitive biases include confirmation bias, availability heuristic, and anchoring bias.
Confirmation bias occurs when we search for, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms our existing beliefs. Availability heuristic occurs when we use easily accessible examples to make decisions, instead of considering all available information. Anchoring bias occurs when we rely too heavily on an initial piece of information when making decisions.
Being aware of cognitive biases can help us make more objective and informed decisions.
Conclusion
Unpacking the fundamentals of basic sentential logic, informal fallacies and cognitive biases is important in developing critical thinking skills and becoming a more informed decision maker. By being able to identify valid arguments and avoid logical errors, we can make more objective decisions and avoid being misled by cognitive biases.
