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Identifying Logical Fallacies in a Text Name Institution Affiliation Identifying Logical Fallacies in a Text Logical fallacies refer to the errors contains in reasoning that prove the possibility of an argument or statement to be invalid. Mark Twain’s essay about the late Benjamin Franklin contains several deliberate fallacies that invalidate Twain’s arguments. First, Twain 's article has traces of Ad Hominen where he unfairly attacks people instead of supporting his contention. An example is when he mentions “will make a Franklin of every father's fool” (Twain, 1983). In this case, he refers to every other person who is not Franklin as a fool. Second, Red Herring is spotted when he “He observed that the bayonet was very well under some circumstances, but that he doubted whether it could be used with accuracy at a long range” (Twain, 1983). In this case, he raises an argument that has no significance to the case and tries to use it to distract the reader from his claims. Thirdly, Twain (1983) presents Franklin's maxims, short pieces of words, as the cause of all his life calamities such as his general debility and mental aberration. Moreover, “His maxims were full of animosity toward boys” indicates Strawman in his arguments as he describes the maxims as to cause extreme effects to other people than they actually are (Twain, 1983). At the start of his essay, he presents claims that do not offer any logical meaning. He implies that Franklin was twins and was born at the same time in different locations. This statement does not make any biological sense as it is impossible to be a single person and be twins at the same time and be born twice at
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