Fatal Fallacies: How Ideologues Repeal the Laws of Logic

Publisher Marketing: In the unprecedented assault on science and logical thinking afflicting the U. S., the role of lies has been recognized, if not adequately, by the general media. Almost totally ignored, however, are the logical fallacies perpetrating ideological nonsense. Christian fundamentalists and Republican plutocrats have formed our first religiously based national political party, dedicated to lower taxes on the rich and imposition of a superstitious dictatorship by the busybodies. Led by Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, the world's highest paid professional liar, the enemies of science and reason have deliberately accelerated the dumbing of America. Republican presidential candidates must reject climate science, and they can't unequivocally endorse the Theory of Evolution (which Theodore Roosevelt did 135 years ago). Enforced by determined Tea Party zealots, this process suppresses fact, endlessly repeats lies, and, more importantly, ignores logic. Every fallacy in the logic textbooks, buttressed by politically originated fallacies, is exploited to the fullest extent. These fallacies include the slippery slope, straw men, red herrings, reversing the burden of proof, vicious circles, language perversion, and single-entry bookkeeping, all united in rejection of science and perpetuation of free-lunch patriotism, supply-side economics, and other false ideologies. Contributor Bio:  Griffin, C W C. W. Griffin is a member of ASTM International and the American Arbitration Association. He is a consulting engineer specializing in roofing and energy conservation and a former Senior Editor for McGraw-Hill's "Engineering News-Record." His books include "Energy Conservation in Buildings" and "The Systems Approach to School Construction." He lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Until his retirement in 1996, R. W. Fricklas was Technical Director of the Roofing Industry Educational Institute. He is a columnist for "RSI" magazine and writes a Web column on roofing for Buildings.com. He has been the recipient of the Voss Award from the American Society for Testing and Materials, the McCawley Award from the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association, and the Piper Award from the National Roofing Contractors Association. Mr. Fricklas has also been presented with Lifetime Achievement awards by the Colorado Roofing Contractors Association and the Institute of Roofing and Waterproofing Consultants, and is an honorary member of the Roofing Consultants Institute. He lives in Centennial, Colorado.