Chapter 1. Man vs. Wild—Controversies caused by human-animal interactions

Introduction

In this tutorial, we’re going to learn how to identify and correct logical fallacies in news reports about human – animal interactions and the controversies that sometimes result.

Logical fallacies are literary devices used to confuse or sway the reader to accept a claim or position in the absence of evidence.

Be skeptical

Evaluate the evidence

Be open minded

Watch out for biases

Click the Next button to start this activity

1.1 Logical Fallacies—Northern Spotted Owl

Let’s review the different types of logical fallacies.

Can you identify the logical fallacy in this scenario:

A blogger writes:

"No matter how noble its alleged intentions and sanctimonious its posturing, the environmental movement has only one objective: to make the world a worse place to be human."

http://rightwingnews.com/environment/envirofascists-unveil-final-solution-on-behalf-of-spotted-owls/

1.2 Logical Fallacies: Endangered Species Act

In Chapter 9, we learned about the importance of biodiversity and about efforts to protect species and their habitats.

These efforts include the U.S. Endangered Species Act, which comes under scrutiny by landowners who oppose restrictions on how they can use their land.

The Wise Use movement is a coalition of groups that believes land should be unrestricted for commercial use. In opposing such environmental regulations as the Endangered Species Act, Wise Use groups have asked, "Which would you rather have, a family wage job or a kangaroo rat?"

1.3 Logical Fallacies: Rattlesnake Roundups

Now let’s look at another controversial topic: rattlesnake roundups. These events began as a way to clear out rattlesnakes from areas where settlers were trying to make land safe for themselves and their livestock.

Let’s read this article about the Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo in Alabama:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/21/national/main6418228.shtml?tag=mncol;lst;1

In it, longtime snake hunter Don Childre says he doesn’t see the harm of the rodeo: "We've hunted the same places for 50 years and still are getting snakes out of them. We could probably get 500 or 600 snakes if we wanted to."

1.4 Logical Fallacies: Prairie Dogs

Now let’s look at this video about prairie dogs in the Conata Basin in Badlands National Park.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9B1G5XM5Wo

1.5 Logical Fallacies: Prairie Dogs

As you heard in the video, both plague and natural predators typically slow the growth of prairie dog colonies. But ranchers have a long history of eradicating prairie dogs for the sake of their livestock. Read the following news excerpt:

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/983

1.6 Logical Fallacies: Prairie Dogs

Read the article at the following link about prairie dogs from the National Wildlife Federation.

http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Animals/Archives/2001/Learning-to-Live-With-Prairie-Dogs.aspx

The author states that "Prairie dogs do more than just serve as prey, they also perform a valuable service for the prairie—they disturb it. In addition to digging up the soil, prairie dogs clip the vegetation around their burrows, enhancing nitrogen uptake by these plants. "Natural disturbances are an important part of maintaining the prairie ecosystem," says Kotliar. "We’re learning that if you change the natural disturbance regime, you alter the ecosystem and you may start losing species."

1.7 Activity Completed!