The Role of Critical Thinking in Identifying Logical Fallacies on Social Media

Today’s digital society has seen social media become an influential method to communicate and share information. However, misleading information and improper usage of logic creates difficulty for users. This research will discuss the importance of using critical thinking skills in order to identify logical fallacies as they occur from social media sources. Some of common types of logical fallacies used on social media are ad hominem attacks, false dichotomies, straw man arguments and emotional appeals, all of which are used to shape opinions and to misinform users. The research will show how the absence of critical thinking skills makes it easier for users to accept misleading information. The research will also address how social media algorithms, the speed at which content is consumed and echo chambers all create a breeding ground for the propagation of logical fallacies. Using critical thinking skills, users can evaluate arguments of social media posts and evaluate the sources of each argument in order to identify logical reasoning from manipulation in each piece of content shared through social media. Growing critical thinking and digital literacy skills is significant for decreasing misinformation and increasing reasonable online dialogue.