What is a Non-Sequitur logical fallacy? And what are the classic examples?
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Examples of non-sequitur that are often given show abundantly clearly how the premises do not lead logically to the conclusion. For example: Premise 1: All hens lay eggs. Premise 2: Eggs can be found in supermarkets. Conclusion: The sky is falling. At first it seems like it's a rather useless excuse for a fallacy as it's really just a generalisation of other types of fallacy (as pointed out by Platinumwolf's answer). For this reason it is usually only invoked to flag up particularly ridiculous examples of the conclusion failing to follow from the premises; examples where it is obvious that the premises just have nothing whatsoever to do with the conclusion. These types of non-sequitur are relatively rare in practice, for obvious reasons. In a case where the non-sequitur is more subtle, there is probably already a well defined fallacy description out there which explains more exactly what went wrong with the logic. So it is usually most useful to talk about more subtle non-sequiturs in terms of that more specific fallacy description (or if you can't find one, make it yourself!), reserving talk of non-sequiturs to those rarer moments like the above where one can't even begin to imagine how the leap from premises to conclusion was made. |
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Non-Sequitur is Latin for "it does not follow". A non-sequitur fallacy is an argument where the conclusion is not reasonably reached from the given arguments. In theory, all logical fallacies are subsets of the non-sequitur. Ex: All X's are Y's, all Y's are Z's, therefore all X's are cows. The conclusion does not logically follow the arguments. |
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An excellent, hilarious and more subtle example is Chris Morris' radio sketch which ultimately questions the existence of Steven Spielberg. Following a conventional introduction to a film news segment where the reporter asks the question 'are critics dead' in response to the fact the 'The Flintstones', in spite of awful reviews, had become the biggest grossing film since 'Jurassic Park', Chris Morris abruptly interrupts the reviewer commenting on the recent acclaim for 'Schindler's List': Chris Morris: He what? Reviewer: Er, he won the seven oscars and four baftas for making the film earlier this year. Morris: Did you actually see it? Reviewer: ...what, the Baftas? Morris: No, not the baftas, did you actually see him? Reviewer: ...what? Morris: Did you actually see Spielberg making the film? Reviewer: Well I saw a promotional video... Morris: So you never actually saw him in the flesh making Schindler's List. Reviewer: No. Morris: So as far as you know, he didn't do it. Reviewer: Well I mean he was on the promotional video directi... Morris: Yeah, and dinosaurs were on the screen in Jurassic Park, weren't they, but they weren't actually real, were they? Reviewer: No! Morris: So how do you know that Spielberg made Schindler's List, you only saw it on a video? Reviewer: Well I don't actually know... Morris: Well it could have been a trick! Reviwer: I suppose so... Morris: And, do you agree that it's your job to report only what you know to be a fact? Reviewer: Yes. Yes. Morris: Right. So, as far as you know, did Steven Spielberg make Schindler's List? Reviewer: (Sigh). No. Morris: In fact, does he even exist? Reviewer: Well, of course he exists! Morris: Yeah, well have you seen him with your own eyes? Reviewer: No. Morris: So does he exist? Reviewer: (sigh). Um, no, he doesn't. Morris: Right. So who made the film? Reviewer: (sigh) Morris: Who was the last person you saw making a film? Reviewer: Well, I saw a friend of mine this afternoon, Mike Rawnsley, he's making a nature documentary for Anglia Television... Morris: Okay, so it's actually more likely that he made the film since at least he exists. Reviewer: Yeah. Morris. Right. So just give us a revised version of your story, Marco. Reviewer: (ahem). Er, The Flintstones movie is set to break all box office records, but this has nothing to do with Steven Spielberg because he doesn't exist. Um, it's believed Schindler's List could've been made by Mike Rawnsley, a friend of mine who's a nature documantary cameraman for Anglia Television. Morris: Great, thanks Marco, see you at ten thirty. |
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A non sequitur is a conclusion that doesn't follow from its premises. Formally speaking, virtually all of the logical fallacies skeptics like to discuss are non sequiturs. Informally, the term "non sequitur" is used to describe especially bizarre or nonsensical claims: if this is not true, then how is it there are PYGMIES + DWARFS?? |
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this questions is pointless because it resembles a sweedish chicken would be an example |
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