Final answer:
An example of a discussion post with a logical fallacy is provided by suggesting that attending extra credit lectures is crucial for academic success simply because top students are attending, illustrating a bandwagon fallacy. Two further responses demonstrate another bandwagon fallacy and a causal fallacy, showing how such fallacies can weaken arguments by relying on flawed reasoning.
Step-by-step explanation:
When engaging in discussions, especially about controversial topics, it's not uncommon to encounter various logical fallacies. Fallacies can weaken an argument as they are mistakes in reasoning. Two prevalent examples include the bandwagon fallacy and the causal fallacy. To demonstrate, I'll provide an initial post containing a fallacy, followed by two responses with different fallacies.
Initial Discussion Post:
"Did you notice that every top student in our class is attending the extra credit lectures? This clearly shows that attending these lectures is the key to getting good grades. If you want to be successful, you should start going too!"
Response to Classmate #1:
"I cannot believe you're not going to the extra credit lectures. Everyone who's serious about their future is attending. Do you even care about your education at all?"
Response to Classmate #2:
"I've seen a ton of people going to those lectures and they all say it's incredibly helpful. It must be true if everybody is saying it. Why argue against such a popular opinion?"
Each of these posts reflects a different logical fallacy. The initial post uses the bandwagon fallacy, suggesting that just because many top students attend the lectures, they are essential for success, implying that one must join in or risk being left behind academically. The first response reflects a causal fallacy, erroneously connecting attendance to success without considering other factors that contribute to good grades. The second response also employs the bandwagon fallacy, relying on the popularity of the opinion as evidence of its correctness, rather than presenting factual arguments.