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A simple look at common mistakes people make when they are thinking or arguing.
Have you ever been in an argument where you knew the other person was wrong, but you couldn't explain why? It might be because they fell into a 'Thinking Trap'!
A hasty generalization happens when someone 'jumps to a conclusion' without enough information. Imagine you see one cat that is grumpy, and you say, 'Wow, all cats in the world are mean!' You are making a big rule based on only example. To avoid this trap, we need to look at many examples before we decide what is true. If you only look at puzzle piece, you can't know what the whole picture looks like!
1. You try one green grape and it tastes very sour. 2. You tell your friend, 'Don't eat those! All green grapes are sour.' 3. This is a hasty generalization because you only tried grape out of the in the bag.
Quick Check
If you meet one person from a new school who is good at math and you say 'Everyone at that school is a math genius,' which trap are you in?
Answer
Hasty Generalization.
Have you ever seen a dog chase its own tail? That is what circular reasoning looks like. It happens when someone tries to prove a point by just saying the same thing in different words. Instead of giving a real reason, they just repeat their idea. In logic, this looks like saying is true because of . It doesn't lead anywhere new!
1. A brother says: 'I should get to play the game first.' 2. The sister asks: 'Why?' 3. The brother answers: 'Because I'm the one who is supposed to go first!' 4. This is circular reasoning because he didn't give a reason; he just repeated his claim.
Quick Check
Why is circular reasoning a 'trap'?
Answer
Because it doesn't provide any new evidence or a real reason to believe the claim.
This trap is also called a Red Herring. It happens when someone is asked a question they don't want to answer, so they talk about something else instead to distract you. It’s like a magician using a puff of smoke to hide what their hands are doing. If you ask about a broken vase and they start talking about how great their grades are, they are changing the subject.
1. Parent: 'Did you clean your room like I asked?' 2. Child: 'You know, I was thinking about how hard I worked on my science project today. I got an A!' 3. The child is changing the subject to avoid talking about the messy room.
If you say 'This book is the best because it is better than all the others,' what trap is that?
You see two people wearing blue shirts who are mean. You decide everyone in a blue shirt is mean. This is...
Changing the subject is a good way to win a fair argument.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to remember the three traps: the Fast Jump, the Spinning Top, and the Distraction.
Practice Activity
Listen to commercials or watch a cartoon today. See if any characters use a 'Thinking Trap' to get what they want!