Logical Fallacies in The Crucible

Logical Fallacies:

The Crucible

Hasty Generalization

Presented by: Victoria Soriano

Making assumptions about a whole group or range of cases based on a sample that is inadequate.

In The Crucible

Example

Act I:

"I know it! Goody Osburn were midwife to me three times.

I begged you Thomas, did i not? I begged him not to call

Osburn because I feared her. My babies always shriveled

in her hands!"

Act I:

"There is either obedience or the church will burn like Hell is burning!"

Post Hoc

Explanation:

Who: Reverend Parris

Who: Mrs. Putnam

Slippery Slope

Parris comes to this obsurd conclusion that

the church will burn like Hell without him

and his authoriative power. His assumption

doesn't hold any solid evidence of this happening.

Assuming that B comes after A or, A caused B.

Mrs. Putnam is backing up Tituba's accusation

of Goody Osburn. Mrs. Putnam says that Goody

Osburn is the cause of the death of her babies,

because they shriveled everytime she held them. This is fallacious because other factors such as sickness could have been the cause of death.

Saying that all cops eat donuts and are fat is fallacious, because not every single cop isn't a fat donut eater.

The arguer claims that a sort of chain reaction, usually ending in some dire consequence, will take place, but there is really not enough evidence for that assumption.

Example

In The Crucible

Act 1:

Abigail: I want to open myself!...I want the sweet light of God...I saw Sarah Good...Goody Osburn...Bridget Bishop with the Devil!

Betty: I saw George Jacobs with the Devil!

Explanation

Ernie assumes that there are no alligators because he kept a banana in his ear. Keeping a banana in his ear kept the alligators away.

This commercial begins by saying that when you are put on hold you get angry. It concludes with the actor ending in a roadside ditch.

Who: The Adults

Straw Man

The adults assume that because Abigail confessed, they can trust her. Therefore they believe that the persons she accused must be guilty for being with the Devil.

The arguer sets up a wimpy version of the opponent's position and tries to score a point by knocking it down.

In The Crucible

Act II:

Proctor: I have no love for Mr. Parris. It is no secret. But God I surely love.

Cheever: He plow on Sunday, sir.

Danforth: Plow on Sunday!

Cheever: I think it be evidence, John. I am an official of the court, I cannot keep it.

Example

Explanation:

Who: Cheever

Proctor claims that he doesn't love Parris but God. Cheever attempts to make his argument stronger by stating that Parris doesn't go to church on Sunday. He brings up an issue that will make Proctor look bad so he can refute Proctor's.

In this commercial Harry Styles and Drew Brees face off to see who should get the last Pepsi. They attempt to support their arguments by "one-upping" the other person's statement such as showing off their accomplishments.

Red Herring

Appeal to Fear

When the arguer attempts to create support for an idea by using deception to increase fear upon another individual or group.

Partway through the argument, the arguer goes off on a tangent, raising a side issue that distracts the audience from what's really at stake.

Example

In The Crucible

A student says to a teacher, " I know I made a mistake. But, think my parents. They're going to kill me!"

Act III:

PROCTOR:...Now remember what the angel Raphael said to the boy Tobias. Remember it.

MARY WARREN, hardly audible: Aye.

PROCTOR: "Do that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee."

Explanation:

Who: Proctor

In The Crucible

Proctor is pressuring Mary to tell the truth by

telling her that she will not be punished if she stays

true. This is fallacious because it is possible that

harm can come to anyone no matter how moral

they are.

This commercial persuades people not to smoke by making them afraid that they will end up like the lady in the video who has a whole in her neck. It makes their audience believe that they will receive the same consequences as the woman, though logically we know that not everyone will end up like her.

Act III

"Danforth:...Is it possible child that the spirits you have seen are illusion only, some deception that may cross your mind when--

Abigail: Why, this-- this-- is a base question...I have been hurt, Mr. Danforth; I have seen my blood runnin' out! I have been near to murdered every day because I done my duty pointing out the Devil's people-- and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned like a--"

The student distacts the teacher by telling the teacher to consider the punishment she will get from her parents instead of the mistake she made.

Explanation:

Who: Abigail

Danforth asks if the spirits were an illusion. Abigail trys to avoid the question by arguing that she doesn't deserve to be asked a base question after what she has been through. She is making others pity her.