| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Lincoln-Douglas debate | a one-on-one debate format |
| resolution | the debatable point or question |
| argument | a coherent and logical position characterized by premises which lead to a conclusion |
| affirmative | the position in favor of the resolution |
| negative | the position in opposition to the resolution |
| cross examine | to pose questions about the opposing arguments |
| rebut | to refute or defuse arguments made by the opposition |
| respond | to answer questions posed in cross examination |
| premise | a postulate or assumption upon which an argument is based |
| syllogism | a form of deductive reasoning wherein a pair of premises leads to a conclusion |
| fallacy | an argument marked by false or invalid reasoning |
| claims of fact | assertions made that can be verified empirically |
| claims of value | assertions involving moral, ethical and/or aesthetic judgements |
| claims of policy | assertions involving proposed remedies for social problems |
| ad hominem | attacks on the man and not his argument |
| post hoc ergo propter hoc | arguments which confuse chronology with cause and effect |
| hasty generalization | using an isolated case to justify a wide sweeping rule |
| appeal to belief | arguments based not on logic but on articles of faith |
| bandwagon fallacy | argument premised on the assertion that bucking popular trends is unwise |
| circular reasoning | stating in one's premise that which one intends to prove |
| false dichotomy | excluding the middle, focusing only on extremes |
| confirmation bias | excluding or ignoring evidence which is unfriendly to one's argument |
| non sequitur | an inference or conclusion that does not follow from the established premises or evidence |
| red herring | a tactic of changing the subject or diverting attention from the topic at hand |
| slippery slope fallacy | the claim that a change will necessarily and invevitably lead to more and more change |
| special pleading fallacy | the claim of a unique exemption or unique knowledge to offset an opponent's demands |
| straw man fallacy | creating a false scenario or a caricature of an opponent and then attacking it |
| fallacy of composition | the contention that one part of a group justifies a sweeping generalization about the entire group |
| proving non-existence | when someone fails to prove the existence of something and responds by challenging others to prove that it doesn't exist |
| inference | a conclusion drawn from data or from premises |
| deductive reasoning | reaching a narrow or particular conclusion starting from general statements or assumptions |
| inductive reasoning | the citing of a number of particular cases in order to prove a general statement |
| fallacy of moderation | an argument based on the claim that the middle point between two opposing positions must be correct. |
| fallacy of the general rule | an overly rigid application of a principle that allows for no exceptions whatsoever |
Combine with other sets
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