PIRIE, MADSEN (2006)(2015) How To Win Every Argument, Bloomsbury, London.
Loaded words
Quote:
'It is possible to influence the outcome of a judgement by the deliberate use of prejudiced terms.' (142).
This fallacy negates facts and instead is used by one seeking a more favourable position in a debate, and/or to promote hostility toward the other side of the argument. (142)
Logically fallacious
Cited
'Argument by Emotive Language
Description: Substituting facts and evidence with words that stir up emotion, with the attempt to manipulate others into accepting the truth of the argument.'
'Logical Form:
Person A claims that X is true.
Person A uses very powerful and emotive language in the claim.
Therefore, X is true.'
'By rejecting God, you are rejecting goodness, kindness, and love itself.'
My examples of this fallacy:
By taking an atheistic worldview, you reject morality, embrace immorality, and are therefore evil.
By holding to a Christian worldview, you hold to a bloody atonement, therefore you hate humanity.
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I do not hold to atheism, but an atheist does not necessarily reject morality and embrace immorality. In the context provided, the atheist is not necessary particularly evil for holding to such views.
However, in light of Romans 1-3, all persons since the fall (Genesis 3) are corrupted in nature, tainted and evil. The only remedy is divine regeneration through the salvific work of Christ and eventual resurrection.
A consistent atheistic worldview will not be based on the Scripture and revelation from the infinite, eternal, holy, God. Therefore it lacks divine sanctioning.
The biblical Christian does hold to a bloody atonement from Jesus Christ, but this atonement in concerned with God's hatred of sin, the unholiness of sin, and divine desire to provide atonement for human sin, for those in Christ. The bloody nature of atonement does not lead to a reasonable conclusion that followers of the triune God, hate humanity, as God's love for humanity is demonstrated in the atonement and resurrection work of Jesus Christ. The Church should theologically and practically reflect that love (Matthew 22, Mark 12, John 13-15, 1 John).
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Once again, as with previous entries reviewing the Pirie fallacy text, in the presentation of premises and conclusions for arguments, objective reason, evidence and facts should be provided. But this fallacy presents subjective emotional assertions.
When presenting an argument, emotive argumentation should be avoided, in favour of fact-based reasoning.
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