Posted: April 26th, 2023

One of the many problems with fallacious reasoning

One of the many problems with fallacious reasoning is that it often seems reasonable. Politicians and advertisers can often take advantage of that to get us to agree with them when they are using (intentionally or otherwise) fallacious reasoning.

Consider the old piece of advertising above. When this ad was used, doctors were among the most highly-respected professionals in a community. Their opinions were often held as being more important or better than those of other people, even in subjects for which they were not experts. This is an example of an argument from authority fallacy, suggesting that because doctors are respected professionals, their opinion on cigarette brands should be respected as well.

Initial Post:
Find an example of a logical fallacy in an advertisement. Print ads or video ads can be used, and either the ad itself or a link to a video ad should be included in your discussion.
What fallacy (or fallacies) is being used in the advertisement? Explain specifically how the fallacy is being used and what effect this might have on a viewer.
How could the advertiser make the same argument without using fallacious reasoning?
Is this advertising technique dishonest?

Example of a logical fallacy in an advertisement:

An example of a logical fallacy in an advertisement is the “Bandwagon Fallacy” used in a Pepsi commercial in 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service. Custom Essay Services Cheap. The ad shows a famous pop singer, Beyonce, drinking Pepsi, and then shows people around the world joining in on the action, dancing and drinking Pepsi. The fallacy suggests that just because many people are doing something, it must be the right thing to do or the right choice to make.

The Bandwagon Fallacy is used in the advertisement, as it implies that because Beyonce drinks Pepsi, and many people around the world are also drinking Pepsi, it must be the right thing to do. The advertisement is attempting to convince viewers that they should also drink Pepsi to be a part of the trend and join the crowd. The effect of this fallacy on a viewer could be that they might be influenced to buy Pepsi solely based on the idea that it is trendy and popular.

The advertiser could make the same argument without using fallacious reasoning by highlighting the unique and beneficial features of Pepsi, such as its taste or its nutritional content. They could also use factual evidence to show the superiority of Pepsi over other beverages.

Using the Bandwagon Fallacy in advertising may be considered dishonest because it can mislead people into thinking that something is good or valuable just because many people are doing it. The argument is not based on rational reasoning, but rather on the desire to fit in with the crowd. By using such fallacies, advertisers can manipulate people’s opinions and influence their purchasing decisions without providing any substantive reason to do so.

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