Fallacies in Medicine and Health: Critical Thinking, Argumentation and Communication

Book Title	Fallacies in Medicine and Health: Critical Thinking, Argumentation and Communication
Author	Louise Cummings (Department of English)
Publisher	Palgrave Macmillan
Year of Publication	2020
ISBN	9783030285135

Introduction This book examines the ways in which arguments may be used and abused in medicine and health. The central claim is that a group of arguments known as the informal fallacies – including slippery slope arguments, fear appeal, and the argument from ignorance – undertake considerable work in medical and health contexts, and that they can in fact be rationally warranted ways of understanding complex topics, contrary to the views of many earlier philosophers and logicians. Modern medicine and healthcare require lay people to engage with increasingly complex decisions in areas such as immunization, lifestyle and dietary choices, and health screening. Many of the so-called fallacies of reasoning can also be viewed as cognitive heuristics or short-cuts which help individuals make decisions in these contexts. This book examines topical issues and debates in all areas of medicine and health, including antibiotic use and resistance, genetic engineering, euthanasia, addiction to prescription opioids, and the legalization of cannabis. List of figures List of exercises Acknowledgements Preface 1 CRITICAL THINKING IN MEDICINE AND HEALTH 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Why think critically about health? 1.3 What is an informal fallacy? 1.4 The logical journey of the fallacies Summary Suggestions for further reading Questions 2 ARGUING FROM IGNORANCE 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Attitudes to ignorance 2.3 Logic and ignorance 2.4 Arguing from ignorance in medicine and health 2.5 Ignorance as a cognitive heuristic Summary Suggestions for further reading Questions 3 SLIPPERY SLOPE ARGUMENTS 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Logical features of slippery slope argument 3.3 Evaluating slippery slope arguments 3.4 Slippery slope reasoning as a cognitive heuristic Summary Suggestions for further reading Questions 4 FEAR APPEAL ARGUMENTS 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Logical and non-logical uses of fear 4.3 Logical features of fear appeal argument 4.4 Evaluating fear appeal argument 4.5 Fear appeal in the social sciences 4.6 Fear appeal argument as a cognitive heuristic Summary Suggestions for further reading Questions 5 APPEALS TO EXPERTISE 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Logical and non-logical uses of expertise 5.3 Logical structure of expert appeals 5.4 Logical pitfalls in arguing from expertise 5.5 Expert appeal in the social sciences 5.6 Expertise as a cognitive heuristic Summary Suggestions for further reading Questions 6 ARGUMENT FROM ANALOGY 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Preliminary remarks 6.3 Logical and non-logical uses of analogy 6.4 Logical structure of argument from analogy 6.5 Logical pitfalls in analogical argument 6.6 Experimental studies of analogical reasoning 6.7 Analogies as a cognitive heuristic Summary Suggestions for further reading Questions 7 POST HOC, ERGO PROPTER HOC 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Post hoc in medicine and health 7.3 Logical features of the fallacy of false cause 7.4 Rationally warranted post hoc reasoning 7.5 Fallacious post hoc reasoning Summary Suggestions for further reading Questions Notes Answers Glossary Bibliography Index * Owners of respective book covers are credited. Book covers are for reference only. FH is unable to accept responsibility of any inaccurate information.