Content area

Abstract

We have noticed a pattern of arguments that exhibit a type of irrationality or a particular informal logical fallacy that is not fully captured by any existing fallacy. This fallacy can be explored through three examples where one misattributes a cause by focusing on a smaller portion of a larger set--specifically, the last or least known--and claiming that that cause holds a unique priority over other contributing factors for the occurrence of an event. We propose to call this fallacy the "last straw fallacy" and will argue why these examples actually warrant a new logical name. Finally, we will show how these cases point to a deeper insight about the contexts in which we typically invoke this type of reasoning and some significant harmful consequences of doing so.

Details

Title
The Last Straw Fallacy: Another Causal Fallacy and Its Harmful Effects
Author
Cusick, Carolyn; Peter, Mark
Pages
457-474
Publication year
2015
Publication date
Nov 2015
Publisher
Springer Nature B.V.
ISSN
0920427X
e-ISSN
15728374
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
1726343189
Copyright
Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015