Saturday, September 23, 2006

Logical Fallacies, Part 12: False Analogy

In the false analogy, a writer incorrectly shows that two entities having common features have other common features which they do not. Example:

Since Citigroup and Exxon Mobil are both Fortune 50 corporations, the United States Environmental Protection Agency should dedicate the same amount of resources to monitoring each company’s environmental compliance.

Indeed, both companies are huge and must share a significant commitment to protecting the environment; however, the nature of Exxon Mobil’s business should require greater oversight.


To purchase your copy of The Art of On-the-Job Writing by Philip Vassallo, click here: http://firstbooks.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=144