Logical Fallacies Thinking is Power: 10 Evidence-Based Coaching Practices
Describe almost anything you are working through and IX Coach finds the practices whose real-world fit is closest. For Logical Fallacies Thinking is Power, these are the strongest matches in the current practice library.
Practices that may help
- The Ludic Fallacy: When You Mistake Real Life for a Game
The ludic fallacy, named by Nassim Taleb in The Black Swan, is the mistake of applying the logic of well-defined games (known rules, bounded outcomes, stable probabilities) to domains where those assumptions do not hold — most of real life. The fallacy matters because standard risk models built on game-like distributions systematically underestimate the frequency and magnitude of extreme, unexpected events. This is Taleb’s analytical concept; the supporting evidence is largely observational and historical rather than from controlled experiments. - Evaluate the argument structure, not the source
Map the logic and evaluate it independently of who made the argument.
Argument Mapping - The Narrative Fallacy: Why We Can’t Stop Making Stories
The narrative fallacy, named by Nassim Taleb in The Black Swan, is the tendency to construct coherent, causal stories from sequences of events — and then to mistake the story for the underlying reality. Narratives feel explanatory because they are causal and emotionally coherent, but they systematically underweight randomness, omit disconfirming details, and create false predictability. The bias is real and well-grounded theoretically; its practical importance is high wherever decisions depend on forecasting or learning from the past. - Find what is genuinely right about positions you disagree with
Most positions you strongly disagree with are right about something important — finding that part is intellectually obligatory.
Steelmanning - Rate the strength of each logical link
Assign a confidence to each "supports" or "rebuts" link, not just to the conclusion.
Argument Mapping - Surface and test underlying assumptions
Identify the implicit assumptions that your reasoning depends on and test whether they hold.
Socratic Questioning - Question whether the category you’re reasoning from actually fits
Before applying a model or framework, verify that the category it was built on genuinely matches your situation.
The Ludic Fallacy: When You Mistake Real Life for a Game - Separate the argument from the arguer
Address the claim on its merits, not the person’s motives or character.
Productive Disagreement, Made Practical - Lead with argument quality on the central route
When your audience is engaged and able, weak arguments actively backfire — make every point earn its place.
Elaboration Likelihood Model, Made Practical - Find the strongest version of the opposing view
If there are multiple ways to interpret a position, choose the most defensible one.
Steelmanning
Does this sound like the set of challenges you might be facing?
- I notice I believe things mostly based on who said them
- There’s a view I think is flat wrong, but it won’t die and lots of people hold it
- The case feels solid because I’ve got several decent reasons stacked up, but I keep ignoring that the whole thing actually hinges on one shaky step I’ve never checked
- My conclusion feels airtight and yet something nags at me, and I think it’s that the whole thing only holds if a couple of unspoken things are true
- I’m reaching for a framework that worked great somewhere else and dropping it onto this situation, and a part of me isn’t sure the two cases are actually the same kind of thing underneath
Related concerns
- Logical Fallacies And Critical Thinking
Identify the implicit assumptions that your reasoning depends on and test whether they hold.
Surface and test underlying assumptions
- Logical Fallacies Critical Thinking
The ludic fallacy, named by Nassim Taleb in The Black Swan, is the mistake of applying the logic of well-defined games (known rules, bounded outcomes, stable probabilities) to domains where those assumptions do not hold — most of real life. The fallacy matters because standard risk models built on game-like distributions systematically underestimate the frequency and magnitude of extreme, unexpected events. This is Taleb’s analytical concept; the supporting evidence is largely observational and historical rather than from controlled experiments.
- Understanding Logical Fallacies
A story can be internally consistent and still be rare — learn to separate "makes sense" from "likely."
Explicitly distinguish coherence from probability
- Learn Logical Fallacies
The ludic fallacy, named by Nassim Taleb in The Black Swan, is the mistake of applying the logic of well-defined games (known rules, bounded outcomes, stable probabilities) to domains where those assumptions do not hold — most of real life. The fallacy matters because standard risk models built on game-like distributions systematically underestimate the frequency and magnitude of extreme, unexpected events. This is Taleb’s analytical concept; the supporting evidence is largely observational and historical rather than from controlled experiments.
- Logical Fallacies And Debate Techniques
Address the claim on its merits, not the person’s motives or character.
Separate the argument from the arguer
- Logical Fallacies And Reasoning Skills
For each supporting reason, find the best counter and put it on the map.
Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason
Describe your situation in your own words to search the complete practice library.