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A critical study of informal fallacies in some socio-political discourse in Ghana

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dc.contributor.advisor Mkhwanazi, Ezekiel S. N.
dc.contributor.advisor Koenane, M. L. J.
dc.contributor.author Ansah, Richard
dc.date.accessioned 2021-01-13T06:57:19Z
dc.date.available 2021-01-13T06:57:19Z
dc.date.issued 2019
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10500/27014
dc.description.abstract The research undertakes a critical study of informal fallacies in some socio-political and religious discourses in Ghana. It clearly and aptly demonstrates that the aforementioned discourses are mostly, if not, always laced with fallacies which obscure and distort clear and critical thinking. The study shows that language, which is the fundamental means by which to engage in socio-political discourse, can be viewed as a complicated tool which is open to misuse and abuse. It shows that language used in socio-political discourses is more often than not utilized poorly, and as such assertions and appeals can be confused with factual/logical inaccuracies. Statements can be formulated in ways that make their content dangerously vague, ambiguous or generally misleading. The research shows that although fallacies can be committed intentionally or unintentionally, in discourses in general, they are mostly, if not always, committed intentionally in socio-political discourse so as to achieve political gains and agenda. Another area of discourse that is tackled in this work where fallacies frequently occur is the religious sector. The study notes that matters of religion are mostly matters that are delicate to handle as these matters are mostly, again if not always, based on faith. It is shown herein that many a time, religious personalities use fallacious as means to drive their religious agenda across. The research then looks at what these aforementioned fallacies imply in relation to socio-political and religious discourses. It proceeds to discuss the positive implications of fallacies before it progresses to the negative implications of same. It then asks how a fallacy will be beneficial to a person and or how it will disadvantage the same person. If fallacies often occur in socio-political and religious discourses, then one must have the ability to detect these fallacies and try to avoid them. The work discusses how to detect fallacies and how to avoid them. It makes bold claims that if one has knowledge about fallacies then one will be able to avoid them. en
dc.format.extent 1 online resource (240 leaves)
dc.language.iso en en
dc.subject Logic
dc.subject Arguments
dc.subject Fallacy
dc.subject Formal and Informal fallacies
dc.subject Socio-political discourse
dc.subject Political argumentation
dc.subject Political persuasion
dc.subject Religion
dc.subject Fideism
dc.subject Prophet
dc.subject Prophetic ministry
dc.subject.ddc 165.09667
dc.subject.lcsh Fallacies (Logic)
dc.subject.lcsh Appeal to popular opinion (Logical fallacy) -- Ghana
dc.subject.lcsh Ad hominem arguments
dc.subject.lcsh Reasoning -- Political aspects -- Ghana
dc.subject.lcsh Faith and reason
dc.title A critical study of informal fallacies in some socio-political discourse in Ghana en
dc.type Thesis en
dc.description.department Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology en
dc.description.degree Ph. D. (Philosophy)


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