what fallacy is I don't know what colleges are teaching these days! I have just received a letter of application from a young man who graduated from the state university last June. It was a wretched letter--badly written, with elementary errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. The state university does not deserve the tax support that it is getting

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/fallacies.html

This is an excellent page for learning about fallacies of all types. Be sure to read the first example carefully.

=)

Hasty Generalization

hasty generalization

4. Despite endess efforts, no one has been able to prove that God exists; we may just as well stop trying and accept the truth: there is no God.

The fallacy being used in this statement is a hasty generalization. A hasty generalization occurs when someone makes a broad conclusion about a group based on limited or insufficient evidence. In this case, the individual received a poorly written letter of application from one graduate of the state university and immediately jumps to the conclusion that all colleges and universities are failing to teach basic skills. This conclusion is based on the assumption that the letter is representative of the education provided by the entire state university, which may not be accurate.

To counter this fallacy, it is important to consider that one single letter from one recent graduate cannot be used as evidence to generalize about the quality of education provided by an entire institution. To evaluate the quality of education, one would need a more comprehensive and unbiased sample, such as looking at multiple letters from various graduates or considering broader indicators such as graduation rates, employment statistics, and alumni success. It's essential to avoid making hasty generalizations and instead rely on more substantial evidence when forming conclusions about educational institutions.