Jumping to a Conclusion: Fallacies and Standards of Proof
Abstract
Five errors that fit under the category of jumping to a conclusion are identified: (1) arguing from premises that are insufficient as
evidence to prove a conclusion (2) fallacious argument from ignorance, (3) arguing to a wrong conclusion, (4) using defeasible reasoning without being open to exceptions, and (5) overlooking/suppressing evidence. It is shown that jumping to a conclusion is best seen not as a fallacy itself, but as a more general category of faulty argumentation pattern underlying these errors and some related fallacies.
evidence to prove a conclusion (2) fallacious argument from ignorance, (3) arguing to a wrong conclusion, (4) using defeasible reasoning without being open to exceptions, and (5) overlooking/suppressing evidence. It is shown that jumping to a conclusion is best seen not as a fallacy itself, but as a more general category of faulty argumentation pattern underlying these errors and some related fallacies.
Keywords
defeasible reasoning, classification of fallacies, ignoring exceptions, secundum quid fallacy, burden of proof, errors of reasoning, suppression of evidence
ISSN: 0824-2577