Here is a comprehensive list of argument fallacies.

I haven’t studied this stuff since I accidentally took an argumentative logic class instead of a boolean logic class back in university and I don’t think people will ever learn what begging the question really means. ;)

On a somewhat related note, I serendipitously came across an interesting new word while browsing some of the other pages on infidels.org: solipsism. After a bit of Googling, I came across this gem of a joke attached to a random slashdot post (spelling mistakes reproduced for authenticity):

A professor is teaching a philosophy course, and he explains to his class solopism, the theroy that reality is a creation in ones mind. After the lecture, several students rush up and introduce themselves to the professor and explain that the theroy was really intune with how they felt and its really opened their minds and they just wanted to tell him in person how the felt about his lecture … to this the professor replies “Thats wonderfull, so rarely does one solipsist meet another.”

While I find it interesting that somebody has coined a word for the concept, I find this quote from the Wikipedia entry to be somewhat relevant:

Some philosophers hold the viewpoint that solipsism is entirely empty and without content. Like a ‘faith’ argument, it seems sterile, i.e., allows no further argument, nor can it be falsified. The world remains absolutely the same—- so where could a solipsist go from there?

It has about as much potential as the thought experiment that involves imagining what would be if the universe didn’t exist. I find that the latter usually ends up with a popping sensation in my brain and my eyes watering. ;)

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