¶ … Ethics: Green's Dilemma Identifying Logical Fallacies

Fallacy 1: Circular Definition (The definition includes the term being defined as a part of the definition, it is assumed because something is a rule it must be obeyed without saying why)

"I believe that all rules should be strictly obeyed," the officer told himself.

Fallacy 2: Conflicting Conditions (The definition is self-contradictory)

"But this is a special circumstance. Don't all rules have exceptions?

Fallacy 3: Argument from emotion. (No logic, just emotion.)

Besides, I really do love Greek food!"

Fallacy 4: Straw man. (Attacking the person, not the argument.)

"We can't have officers accepting free meals, you dumb rookie!

Fallacy 5: Slippery slope. (Assumes unconnected chain of causal events.)

Free meals lead to cash bribes and corruption. Eventually people will be asking you to get them illegal drugs!

Fallacy 6: Post hoc. (The conclusion doesn't follow from the evidence.)

Besides, the year we started banning free meals, the city's car thefts went down by 20%! We can't risk messing with success like that.

Fallacy 7: Appeal to Authority (When the authority is not an expert in the field)

Anyway, I read that Martha Stewart was against free meals for cops. That clinches it for me!

Fallacy 8: Hasty Generalization: (The sample is too small to support an inductive generalization about a population_

This is the third time I've had a restaurant owner trying to get one of my officers to break a rule. I guess restaurant owners just don't have any respect for rules and policies.

Fallacy 9: Appeal to Force (The reader is persuaded to agree by force.)

"Either drop this matter and agree with my decision

Fallacy 10 and 11: Consequences (The reader is warned of unacceptable consequences...

Or you aren't being a good cop."
Fallacy 12: Attacking the Person: (The person's character is attacked and the person's circumstances are noted, not the argument and the person making the attack does not practice what is preached.)

Terrance replied, "You're just prejudiced against Greek people! Anyway, I heard that you got into trouble once for using excessive force on a suspect. Who are you to lecture me about ethics?

Fallacy 13: Popularity/Bandwagon fallacy: (Proposition is argued to be true because it is widely held to be true.)

One recent survey of officers found that 75% of us believe we are entitled to free or discounted meals. That many people can't be wrong.

Fallacy 14: Argument From Ignorance: (Because something is not known to be true, it is assumed to be false.)

I don't care what all the so-called experts in law enforcement ethics say -- there's nothing wrong with an officer accepting free meals!

Fallacy 15: Irrelevant Conclusion: (An argument in defense of one conclusion instead proves a different conclusion.)

Fallacy 16: Post hoc, ergo: (False conclusion -- just because underpaid doesn't mean free food is the solution.)

We're underpaid and under-appreciated!

Fallacy 17: Argument from authority (Assumes must have experience to 'understand')

People on the outside can't possibly understand all that we go through as police officers.

Ethics model: Central decision to be made: What should Officer Green do about Mrs. Athens' offer -- how to balance community policing with positive community relations?

Evaluate the Problem

The problem is that the officer in question wishes to disobey reasonable police department protocol regarding accepting free gifts. Accepting free gifts from a Greek owner…