(5.2)--supplementarymaterial2weakanalog.pdf

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1、Weak analogy Definition:Definition:Many arguments rely on an analogy between two or more objects,ideas,or situations.If the two things that are being compared arent really alike in the relevant respects,the analogy is a weak one,and the argument that relies on it commits the fallacy of weak analogy.

2、Example:Example:“Guns are like hammerstheyre both tools with metal parts that could be used to kill someone.And yet it would be ridiculous to restrict the purchase of hammersso restrictions on purchasing guns are equally ridiculous.”While guns and hammers do share certain features,these features(hav

3、ing metal parts,being tools,and being potentially useful for violence)are not the ones at stake in deciding whether to restrict guns.Rather,we restrict guns because they can easily be used to kill large numbers of people at a distance.This is a feature hammers do not shareit would be hard to kill a

4、crowd with a hammer.Thus,the analogy is weak,and so is the argument based on it.If you think about it,you can make an analogy of some kind between almost any two things in the world:“My paper is like a mud puddle because they both get bigger when it rains(I work more when Im stuck inside)and theyre

5、both kind of murky.”So the mere fact that you can draw an analogy between two things doesnt prove much,by itself.Arguments by analogy are often used in discussing abortionarguers frequently compare fetuses with adult human beings,and then argue that treatment that would violate the rights of an adul

6、t human being also violates the rights of fetuses.Whether these arguments are good or not depends on the strength of the analogy:do adult humans and fetuses share the properties that give adult humans rights?If the property that matters is having a human genetic code or the potential for a life full

7、 of human experiences,adult humans and fetuses do share that property,so the argument and the analogy are strong;if the property is being self-aware,rational,or able to survive on ones own,adult humans and fetuses dont share it,and the analogy is weak.Tip:Tip:Identify what properties are important t

8、o the claim youre making,and see whether the two things youre comparing both share those properties.Works consulted We consulted these works while writing this handout.This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handouts topic,and we encourage you to do your own research to find the latest

9、publications on this topic.Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list,as it may not match the citation style you are using.For guidance on formatting citations,please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial.We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

10、Hurley,Patrick J.A Concise Introduction to Logic.Thornson Learning,2000 Lunsford,Andrea and John Ruszkiewicz.Everythings an Argument.Bedford Books,1998.Copi,Irving M.and Carl Cohen.Introduction to Logic.Prentice Hall,1998.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 License.You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source:The Writing Center,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill https:/writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/fallacies/