Getting in an argument with someone is an inevitable fact of life. Sometimes you meet someone with a opposite point of view than yours, they have a very passionate stance on an issue or your simple discussion escalates to the point where it's now an argument. Most arguments are unwinnable because people, men especially, don't want to admit that they are wrong. People would rather dig in their heels and defend a point that they know is wrong rather than admit defeat. When this happens it will just create animosity between you and the
other person and unless you don't care about being friends with this person then you don't want it to reach that point.With all that being said, I have outlined a few common fallacies someone might use in an argument and how to spot them.
Ad Hominem
Defined as:
"1. appealing to one's prejudices, emotions, or special interests rather than to one's intellect or reason.
2. attacking an opponent's character rather than answering his argument"
-Dictionary.com
Ad hominem attacks are easy to notice when in an argument since they are personal attacks and have nothing to do with the points being argued. When someone does this it usually means that there is no where else for them to go in an argument and no other valid points to make. The person at this point is just trying to stop the topic being discussed with the hope that it will turn into an argument on a different level which would be personal attacks.
Don't take the bait. Pause for a moment to gather yourself and realize that the person has given up their argument without admitting they are wrong. This may be the only way for them to get out of it.
Don't return the insult because that's what they want.
Strawman
Defined as:
"1. a weak or imaginary opposition (as an argument or adversary) set up only to be easily confuted
2. a person set up to serve as a cover for a usually questionable transaction"
-Miriam-Webster.com
A Strawman is something that if you are not listening carefully you could miss it altogether and you could end up spiralling way off topic. Someone will create an argument that has nothing to do with what you are talking about and then immediately defeat the point that they have just made up thus creating the sense that they have actually defeated your point instead.
If someone uses a strawman the original point should be stated again in order to swing the discussion back on topic. It should also be pointed out that the point being made is indeed a strawman. If someone attempts to do this in a discussion it is likely that they will do it again.
Thought-Terminating Cliché
Thought-terminating clichés are common phrases or clichés used in response to a valid point. Instead of defending the point a person will use a cliché instead. This, more often than not causes the discussion or argument to be ended since there isn't a valid response to the cliché or a follow-up argument hence why it's called "thought-terminating".
Examples of thought-terminating clichés would be: "Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.", "Don't be smart." or "That's the way the cookie crumbles.". Modern clichés that have snuck into the language may be less recognizable because they are currently in common use or are used as slang for something else. Examples for these would be: "That's on you." and "Whatever." Again, the original point must be stated again at this point to bring the discussion back on topic. Also, point out that it isn't a valid response.
False Comparison (Analogy)
Defined as:
"A fallacy in which an argument is based on misleading, superficial, or implausible comparisons."
-About.com
False comparisons are used quite often because it may be hard to argue if the comparison is fair or not. Sometimes the comparison is close which may lead you to concede a point that you may not otherwise. If a comparison or analogy is made you would have to quickly decide if the comparison is justified or not.
A common false comparison which is almost indisputable is when someone is compared to Adolph Hitler. In the whole history of humankind there may be 3 or 4 people that could be compared to Hitler in terms of his evilness and barbarity. False comparisons should be pointed out right away since the person doing it would have to justify the comparison or analogy which may be harder to do.
Final Words
All of the above examples are types of fallacies or "red herrings". There are many others but these are more commonly used by people in arguments and discussion. Knowing what they are and when they are said is crucial to "winning" an argument or conducting yourself better in order to sway a person to your point of view. Many people wont want to admit that they are wrong during the argument but sometimes they will think about what was said and later decide that their point of view may in fact be flawed. It's not uncommon for someone to later admit that they thought about it and decided that they were wrong. The difference is that they decided it on their own.
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