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Bullshit arguments can lead to true conclusions. They are still bullshit and it bears pointing out, lest other conclusions are drawn from the same pool.


Exactly. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_fallacy

The example there is:

Tom: All cats are animals. Ginger is an animal. Therefore, Ginger is a cat.

Bill: You have just fallaciously affirmed the consequent. You are incorrect. Therefore, Ginger is not a cat.


Perfectly good time to quote Rhinoceros

> Logician: Here is an example of a syllogism. The cat has four paws. Isidore and Fricot both have four paws. Therefore Isidore and Fricot are cats.

> Old Gentleman: My dog has got four paws.

> Logician: Then it is a cat.

> ...

> Logician: Another syllogism. All cats die. Socrates is dead. Therefore Socrates is a cat.

> Old Gentleman: And he's got four paws. That's true. I've got a cat named Socrates.

> Logician: There you are, you see...

> Old Gentleman: So Socrates was a cat, was he?

> Logician: Logic has just revealed the fact to us.

Substitute "data" for logic in this context I guess


You can even use the actual data in the article. Leave only a chart with 2 bars:

- 5h sleep - 60% injury likelihood

- 6h sleep - 75% injury likelihood

Now maintain the conclusion that the graph supports the idea of the likelihood of injury being higher the fewer the hours slept per night. Of course such manipulation will not make your book a bestseller.

Studies [0] show that the likelihood of your science being bunk increases with your desire to turn them into bestsellers and make more money from them.

[0] Too lazy to manipulate a bar chart to show whatever I want it to show because I don't actually aim to turn this comment into a bestseller.




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