Are Logical Fallacies Still Useful and Positive?
Yes. Why We Shouldn't Do Away With Fallacies
In my examination of the sometimes problematic nature of logical fallacies and the ways they are often pointed out, I do not believe that we should do away with logical fallacies entirely, nor do I believe they are irrelevant, illegitimate, or un-useful. In fact, that would directly go against my entire argument. In examining the problems with logical fallacies, I argue that there is a certain group who gets to decide what makes something logically fallacious and that because of that, there are certain people and certain types of logic who are left out, silenced, and alienated. Doing away with logical fallacies would recreate this same system, just in reverse.
We shouldn't throw fallacies in the trash simply because of their sometimes problematic nature. They can still be useful, and we can learn to use them in different ways--to recycle them.
Yes. How Fallacy Theory Can Still be Useful if Used Correctly
Knowledge of logical fallacies can and does remain useful, for example, in helping members of the public identify sneaky and manipulative rhetorical moves made by politicians that are meant to go unnoticed, and can be a way to take back agency or power that others try to have over us.
But particularly in terms of the feminist cause, logical fallacies can provide ways to combat gender inequality and anti-feminist sentiments. For example, Ariel Pontes, in the article “7 Fallacies That Undermine Antifeminism,” discusses logical fallacies that can be used to argue against anti-feminist sentiments (they do take a bit of an Adversary Method approach in their article, but regardless, they do make good points about how fallacies can be used for a feminist advantage). For example, Pontes discusses how the straw man fallacy, “which consists of misrepresenting your opponent’s view so that it’s easier to attack them,” can be used against statements such as, “Feminists are oversensitive man-haters and a threat to free-speech!” (Pontes).
Additionally, Susan Cox, in the article “Reductio ad Phobium: Logical Fallacies for Today’s Feminist,” actually creates her own list of several new logical fallacies that can be particularly useful to the feminist cause, including “Reductio ad Phobium: the logical fallacy in which a feminist critique of systems of power is reduced to fear/hatred of individuals” (Cox).