Soundbites vs. Science: Spotting Logical Fallacies in Arguments about Dentistry and Public Health

In an era where misleading and inaccurate information spreads rapidly online, public health professionals face the challenge of deciding how best to respond.

One common instinct is to search out evidence that directly disproves the false claim.

While such an approach is important it can also be time-consuming and can delay one's response. It can also fail to address a common problem or tactic with public health rhetoric.

In this talk I focus on helping people recognize common logical fallacies and persuasive tactics often used to promote false or misleading ideas in public health.

By building this kind of critical awareness in advance, individuals are better equipped to challenge questionable claims when they see them and to point out to others the kinds of mistakes or misleading tactics that are being relied upon.

Learning Objectives

* Identify common logical fallacies used in health care debates and misinformation.

* Explain how logical fallacies and persuasive tactics can make misleading health claims appear credible.

* Analyze health claims to distinguish sound reasoning from flawed or misleading arguments.

* Apply strategies for responding to misleading health claims by identifying and explaining the flaws in the reasoning behind them.