Fallacies All Over the Place

 WOW! Winston Churchill, another man who has a talent at hiding fallacies. I do have to admit that I’m a bit jealous of their ability of doing so. If it wasn’t because I have been doing a close reading to the speeches I would have been convince by him, as well as by Orwell and Gandhi.

Tautology is used a lot! Some examples that I found was when he states, “...they shall do so with their eyes open, and not be led blind fold into a trap,” and “Unhappily all that influence, and it is an enormous influence, has been cast the other way.” One might not realize it at first sight, but Churchill is repeating himself by using different words.

A clear common fallacy that I found was when he states the following question, “Why should these unpracticed, unproved, unrepresentative, self-chosen groups of Indian politicians disdain the immense possibilities offered within the limits of the Statutory Commission´s report, and demand an immediate setting up of a United States of India, with themselves in control, and the British army at their orders?”
Phewwww that was a long question! How many issues were merged into one? Obviously more than two. Such a long question makes us wonder on what Churchill is going to talk about. Which issues are more important? Sneaky Churchill, he just wants to make sure that he is confusing and tricking us.

Another one that I found was the fallacy of the false dilemma when he states, “But win or lose, we must do our duty.” Right here Churchill is only giving us two choices: either to win or lose. But isn’t there an in between? I don’t know about you, but I have heard of the term agreement, in which neither side wins or loses.