I, too, took a logic class in college where you break down questions, and in a fashion similar to mathematics, determine whether they are true or false. There are many types of fallacious (false) arguments, often labeled in Latin, such as those labeled "ad ignoratium" or "argument from ignorance". An example would be "I have never seen a yellow dog, so therefore there are no yellow dogs" The fact that you have never seen a yellow dog doesn't prove that there are none. The type of argument cited above by some people in a previous post is called, in simple terms," begging the question" , because the answer is already assumed in the question. An example is " Have you stopped beating your wife yet?" Regardless of how you answer, whether it is "yes" or "no" you are admitting to beating your wife. There are many others of course, like "appeals to authority" (used all the time in advertising to persuade) where a celebrity, or doctor, or scientist, endorses a product though they have no expertise in the particular subject being debated. Michael Jordan sells a lot of shoes based on that, but isn't a foot doctor or a shoemaker. A good example would be Al Gore persuading people about global warming. His opinion is of no more value than any other person who has researched the subject on their own because he has no special knowledge or training on global climate change by dint of being an ex vice-president, or because he is an attorney, or a father, or a resident of Tennesee, etc., etc. Just my two cents worth...
