Fallacies are errors in reasoning whereby an attempt to present and justify a conclusion may fail because inadequacy or irrelevance in reasoning and premises. Logical fallacies compromise the persuasiveness of the speaker and they may be intentional or unintentional. Some of the most common fallacies are circular argumentation and false dilemma fallacies.
Circular argumentation is a common logical fallacy in which a speaker tries to use the premise and the conclusion are similar in meaning, hence the argument is incomplete. The evidence supposedly supporting the claim is simply another restatement of the claim. For instance, Jefferson was the best president in US history because there has never been a better head of state. In this statement, the conclusion and the evidence carry the same meaning, but different wordings. Circular arguments indicate incompetence in argumentation as opposed to faulty reasoning. To avoid them, the speaker must carry out sufficient research on the subject and gather enough facts to support every claim they make.
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The false dilemma fallacy is exemplified in cases where the speaker presents an argument that limits the number of options and makes a conclusion on the stated options. In many cases, it involves an “either/or” situation. Such an argument assumes there are no other options available. Considering other options may lead to a different conclusion. For instance, our country will remain unsafe unless we increase our military spending. This statement assumes that there are only two options available. The country can retain its military spending at current levels and remain unsafe, or it can increase its military spending to facilitate safety. The assumption is that there are no other available ways to improve safety and security. False dilemma fallacies can be avoided through adequate research.
In conclusion, circular reasoning and false dilemma are two logical fallacies. They can both be avoided through adequate research on the subject to help the speaker master the subject matter. However, the two fallacies are often used intentionally to manipulate audiences who may not recognize them.
