Links to rhetorical tools:

Here are links to the rhetorical tools used in this class:

Schemes & Tropes -- Perelman & Olbrechts-Tyteca -- Fallacies -- Burke -- Rhetorical Toolbox -- Conspiracy Rhetorics

Monday, February 26, 2018

San Diego Paranormal Research Society

Wishful Thinking:

“I had an interesting encounter with John Pedder as I was walking through shaft alley, straight through watertight door #13. I felt someone tug my purse (Pedder has been known to tug on hair, especially long hair) and there was no one behind me. No one living that is!”
  • This author desperately wants the ghost to be real and so wants to believe that what they felt with their purse was because of paranormal activity when in reality it this could have been caused by any number of things.

Appeal to Misleading Authority:

“Since 2000-2001, Thomas has been studying the paranormal, spirituality, the occult sciences, various theologies and mythologies and the phenomenon known as “Shadow People””
All of the members of the SDPRS have very official sounding names such as “EVP Specialist” and “Intuitive and Shaman”
  • Other than reading myths and learning about different religions this person has very little academic experience with the paranormal. He is basically just self-trained and is now being called a “Paranormal Consultation Network/Occult Specialist”

Cum Hoc

“On another visit to the ship and while on a tour in the engine room, I shared my experience of someone tugging on my purse. I was recording the tour and right after I say, “There was no one behind me…” a disembodies male voice comes through and says “I am down here.”
  • Because the author’s statement and the supposed response this means that the ghost must have been present during this paranormal encounter.

Black or White

“It closely resembles the sound of Jingle Bells. And I don’t believe that Santa Claus is camping out in the engine room.”

  • This statement asserts that either the bell sound was made by paranormal activity or Santa Claus, which the author asserts is unbelievable.

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