Definition and Examples of the Fallacy of Equivocation

Equivocation is a fallacy by which a specific  word or phrase in an argument is used with more than one meaning. Its also known as semantic equivocation. Compare this with the related term of  amphiboly, in which the ambiguity is in the grammatical construction  of the sentence rather than just a single word or phrase. Semantic equivocation can also be compared to polysemy, in which a single word has associations with more than one thing and  lexical ambiguity, which is when a word is ambiguous due to having more than one meaning. An Example of Equivocation Equivocation is a common fallacy because it often is quite hard to notice that a shift in meaning has taken place, note Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric authors Howard Kahane and Nancy Cavender. The sugar industry, for instance, once advertised its product with the claim that Sugar is an essential component of the body...a key material in all sorts of metabolic processes, neglecting the fact that it is glucose (blood sugar) not ordinary table sugar (sucrose) that is the vital nourishment. Recognizing Fallacy In a broader sense,  equivocation  refers to the  use of vague or unclear  language, especially when the intention is to mislead or deceive an  audience. To dismantle a fallacy of equivocation, you must first discover the context behind the questionable terminology as it compares to the assertions an argument is attempting to prove. Have particular words or phrases been chosen because they might be relied on to lead to the wrong conclusion? Other areas to scrutinize when you suspect a statement might be fallacious are the vagueness of the claims being made or terms that have been left purposely undefined. For example, when President Bill Clinton claimed not to have had sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, he was referring to the act of sexual intercourse, however, the way in which he presented his claim inferred denial of all types of sexual contact. The  fallacy of equivocation  occurs particularly in  arguments  involving words that have a multiplicity of meanings, such as  capitalism, government, regulation, inflation, depression, expansion,  and  progress...To expose the fallacy of equivocation you give accurate and specific  definitions  of  terms and  show  carefully that in one place the definition of the terms was different from the definition in another.(From Influencing Through Argument by  Robert Huber and Alfred Snider) Combatting Equivocation Consider the following example of a ridiculous  syllogism taken from  Informal Fallacies: Towards a Theory of Argument Criticisms by  Douglas N. Walton: An elephant is an animal. A gray elephant is a gray animal.Therefore, a small elephant is a small animal.Here we have a relative term, small, that shifts meaning according to the context. A small house may not be taken, in some contexts, as anywhere near the size of a small insect. Small is a highly relative term, unlike gray, that shifts according to subject. A small elephant is still a relatively large animal. Ferreting out equivocation in some arguments wont likely be as simple a leap of logic as with the example cited above, however, whenever possible, fallacies should be exposed for what they are, especially when social policy is at stake, such as during political campaigns and debates. Unfortunately, the image-makers who employ the art of the spin as a powerful weapon in political campaigns often rely heavily on equivocation to get their not-always-truthful messages across. Facts and data can be manipulated, either via statements taken out of their original context or by leaving out critical information that modifies a statement. Using such tactics can twist a positive into a negative or vice-versa—or at the very least cast doubt on an opponents character. For instance, say Candidate A claims to have voted for every consumer tax break since hed been elected to office. That would be viewed by many as a positive thing, right? However, what if there were simply no tax breaks voted on during his term? The candidates statement wouldnt exactly be false, however, it would say something entirely different about his voting record. Not only that, by spinning the information as he did, voters would likely get the impression that hed actually done something he had not (voted for tax breaks), and that he would likely do the same in the future. Whether or not he would is anyones guess.

The Fabrication Of Louis Xiv - 1614 Words

In the introduction to The Fabrication of Louis XIV, Peter Burke expresses his ambition to write a study of Louis XIV s public image as a whole and the changes it underwent throughout Louis s reign. This book examines the relation between art and power and the official structures responsible for making – fabricating – the image, or more appropriately, the images of Louis XIV, as well as their contemporary reception. As the title suggests and as Burke himself reminds the reader, the book as a whole focuses on the ideas of royal myth and royal narrative, and the manipulation of information. Chapters two to eight follow each other chronologically, and examine how the image of Louis XIV changed during his reign. Chapter two pays particular attention to the different media used by the king and his image-makers . This chapter is a good introduction to the different styles and genres used to create royal images, for example by comparing classicism and baroque and explaining recurrent allegories, metaphors and commonplaces used in the representations of Louis XIV. Chapters two to four give us the necessary background to understand the study of the relation between art and power in the time of Louis XIV. Whilst in chapter three, Peter Burke concentrates on how royal representations respond to contemporary events, he then is primarily concerned in chapter four with the construction of the structures of glorification of the king. The reader is introduced to two key figures inShow MoreRelatedSearch Of Lost Time By Marcel Proust1708 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel and by the seconda ry characters he meets during his life. 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Eliezer Wiesel Free Essays

My birth name is Eliezer Wiesel, and I was born on September 30, 1928, In Sighet, Romania. Throughout my life I have lived in a multitude of places, including: France, Romania – my birth place and the United States (New York). At a very young age, I found an elaborate and enticing interest In the beauty and sophisticated nature of Judaism. We will write a custom essay sample on Eliezer Wiesel or any similar topic only for you Order Now I started to attend a nearby yeshivah, in which I perused to extend my knowledge of spiritual beliefs. I was also heavily influenced by my grandfather and father, who both took a traditional and liberal perspective in their approach to Judaism. Holocaust 1943, I was fifteen; my family and I were persecuted from happiness and drained from forgiveness, all during the Holocaust. We were sent to Auschwitz and were brutally separated by the merciless German soldiers. I was afraid, alone, petrified and paranoid; being banished from your family, and being sent to a sub-camp of Auschwitz, named Buna Werke, mentally abolished me. I knew no one, nor did I want to. I was freed from Buchenwald in 1945. But the damage was already done. Never shall I forget that night, the first night in the haunting camp, which has turned my life into one long excruciating night, seven times I was cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that putrid smelling smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw heartlessly turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forgot those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to an infinite cycle of dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live long as God himself. Never. How to cite Eliezer Wiesel, Papers

Managing Project Teams Social Influence

Question: Disucus about theManaging Project Teamsfor Social Influence. Answer: Robert Cialdinis Six Principles of Influence for Influencing others Behaviors are: Commitment and Consistency Human beings have deep need for consistency and commitment towards something is what they follow to maintain that consistency. This principle can be supported with the example of the sales profession, where the marketer gets the customers to commit to something small that would ultimately propel them towards bigger commitments (Cialdini and Cliffe 2012). Authority Humans tend to obey authoritative figures, and feel a sense of obligation and duty towards them in all situations. An example that supports this principle are the Milgram experiments, where subjects torture other people with electric shocks just because they are instructed to do so by any authoritative figure. Liking Cialdini declares that humans are more prone to influence by people they like, and that might come in the form of familiarity, trust or similarity (Guadagno et al. 2013). Tupperware parties are good examples of the principle that the public would probably buy if they like the individual selling to them. Social Proof Cialdini has defined this as being based on the idea of safety, as people are persuaded to do what they observe other people doing, especially in moments of uncertainty. For instance, if coworkers work late, then we would too to comply. Scarcity Scarcity persuades consumers to perceive something as attractive and act quickly, as they feel they would miss it. This principle can be mostly found in advertisements with taglines as limited period offer. Reciprocity Humans generally want to return favors and repay. In sales world, this can be seen in the form of an added free gift. All these principles successfully assist in measuring influence and persuasion. References and Bibliography Cialdini, R. and Cliffe, S., 2012. The uses (and abuses) of influence.Harvard business review,91(7-8), pp.76-81. Cialdini, R.B., 1987.Influence(Vol. 3). A. Michel. Guadagno, R.E., Muscanell, N.L., Rice, L.M. and Roberts, N., 2013. Social influence online: The impact of social validation and likability on compliance.Psychology of Popular Media Culture,2(1), p.51.