Jim Cliff & Mark Levermore Podcasts
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Fallacious Trump
Jim & Mark
Jim and Mark use the insane ramblings of a tiny-handed narcissist to explain logical fallacies. Each episode we focus on a single logical fallacy and, using examples from Trump, UK politics and pop culture, explore how and why it fools people, how to avoid committing it yourself, and how to counter it in an argument.
Broken Clock Fallacy - FT#116 1:41:45
In the one hundred and sixteenth episode we explore the Broken Clock Fallacy, starting with Trump claiming he was right about everything, then exposing his reasoning for appointing Jerome Powell as Fed Chair, and finally claiming he knew all along that the candidate he endorsed for Alabama Senate couldn't win. In Mark's British Politics Corner we l…
Argument to the Purse - FT#115 1:41:26
In the one hundred and fifteenth episode we explore the Argument to the Purse, starting with Trump dismissing bloggers and Alan Sugar because they are too poor, and Ben Shapiro defending Elon Musk's intellect. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Rishi Sunak explaining why we can't afford to pay nurses and Mick Lynch explaining why poor peo…
2000 Christmas Mules - part 2 2:45:34
Happy New Year! A while ago, especially for our Patrons, we watched convicted felon Dinesh D'Souza's 'documentary' 2000 Mules, which purports to offer evidence that the 2020 election was stolen, using a massive ballot harvesting scheme. You'll be shocked to learn the evidence doesn't hold up to even a small amount of scrutiny. However, a small amou…
Happy Holidays! A while ago, especially for our Patrons, we watched convicted felon Dinesh D'Souza's 'documentary' 2000 Mules, which purports to offer evidence that the 2020 election was stolen, using a massive ballot harvesting scheme. You'll be shocked to learn the evidence doesn't hold up to even a small amount of scrutiny. However, a small amou…
Argument to Moderation - FT#114 1:48:25
In the one hundred and fourteenth episode we explore the Argument to Moderation Fallacy, starting with Trump losing a negotiation to buy a 727 and refusing to compromise on border security, no matter what Ted Cruz claims. Then we talked about Elon Musk's theory that he's being fair because he's annoyed everybody. In Mark's British Politics Corner w…
Planning Fallacy - FT#113 1:23:48
In the one hundred and thirteenth episode we explore the Planning Fallacy, starting with Trump underestimating how long it takes to build a wall and count votes. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at the planning (or lack thereof) for Brexit. In the Fallacy in the Wild section, we check out examples from Only Fools and Horses, Glory, The Gre…
Hot Hand Fallacy - FT#112 1:38:09
In the one hundred and twelfth episode we explore the Hot Hand Fallacy, starting with Trump talking about the impact of Obamacare. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look back at the 1997 election. In the Fallacy in the Wild section, we check out examples from Bewitched, South Park, and The Big Short, and talk about whether basketball players are…
Gambler's Fallacy - FT#111 1:41:17
In the one hundred and eleventh episode we explore the Gambler's Fallacy, starting with Trump misunderstanding tariffs again, then being wrong about Covid and climate change. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at the entire Tory party playbook. In the Fallacy in the Wild section, we check out examples from The World According to Garp, The Si…
Appeal to Freedom - FT#110 1:31:55
In the one hundred and tenth episode we explore the Appeal to Freedom, starting with Trump liberating Michigan with a tweet, then misunderstanding the First Amendment and Article II of the Constitution. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Liz Truss's speech to the Tory Party Conference. In the Fallacy in the Wild section, we check out exam…
Reductio ad Hitlerum - FT#109 1:39:44
In the one hundred and ninth episode we explore the Reductio ad Hitlerum, starting with a tweet from Trump about living in Nazi Germany and several examples of Marjorie Taylor Greene comparing random things to Hitler, Nazis, brown shirts, and the Holocaust. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at similar behavior by Helen Morgan MP, and the Da…
Complex Question Fallacy - FT#108 1:34:01
In the one hundred and eighth episode we explore the Complex Question Fallacy, starting with some push polling from Trump and then him ruining Christmas for a sever-year-old. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Keir Starmer trapping Boris Johnson with multiple complex questions, and Kit Malthouse using an accusation of a loaded question as…
Red Baiting - FT#107 1:45:35
In the one hundred and seventh episode we explore Red Baiting, starting with Trump calling Kamala Harris and Comcast Communists, and Kristi Noem calling Raphael Warnock a Marxist Socialist. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Boris Johnson pretending to accidentally call Jeremy Corbyn Vladimir, and Jonathan Gullis calling Mick Lynch a Marx…
Appeal to Stupidity - FT#106 1:34:36
In the one hundred and sixth episode we explore the Appeal to Stupidity, starting with Trump claiming he is better at foreign policy that the experts, and mocking Biden for listening to scientists. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Michael Gove having enough of experts, and Liz Truss going toe to toe with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rish…
Magical Thinking - FT#105 1:48:37
In the one hundred and fifth episode we explore the Magical Thinking Fallacy, starting with Trump thinking the time of day he calls Fox and Friends will affect his election chances, and then his belief in jinxes and karma. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look Boris's seemingly superstitious incantation of the same few things he claims he achie…
Appeal to Self-Evident Truth - FT#104 1:48:38
In the one hundred and fourth episode we explore the Appeal to Self-Evident Truth, starting with Trump claiming there was obvious fraud during the election and that his first impeachment was an open and shut case (but not the way you think). In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Nadine Dorries defending Boris against an 'obviously' coordinat…
Subverted Support - FT#103 1:52:42
In the one hundred and third episode we explore Subverted Support, starting with Trump explaining why we have to get the non-existent Critical Race Theory out of schools, and how the non-existent massive voter fraud was done. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Boris implying the last Labour Government's energy policy is at the heart of th…
Pooh Pooh Fallacy - FT#102 1:17:44
In the one hundred and number two episode we explore the Pooh Pooh Fallacy, starting with Trump calling the Green New Deal childish and describing a reporter's question as stupid. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Dominic Raab calling various things ridiculous nonsense, including the fact he was on a beach in Crete when he should have be…
Greater Good - FT#101 1:40:03
In the one hundred and first episode we explore the Greater Good Fallacy, starting with Trump claiming Dems should stop resisting so he can get on with working for the common good, and Blue Lives Matter founder Joseph Imperatrice complaining about kneeling in the NFL. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at a Green Party broadcast from 2014, D…
False Consensus - FT#100 1:38:46
ICYMI: There is also a video version of this special 100th episode which you can watch at https://fallacioustrump.com/ft100. Please enjoy either version! Or both, I'm not the boss of you. In the one hundredth (yay!) episode we explore the False Consensus Fallacy, starting with a special guest, and then we hear Trump claiming nobody knew that lots o…
Abortion is not a logical fallacy (Bonus episode 99a) 43:18
The news about Alito's leaked draft opinion on Roe v Wade came out a couple of hours after we recorded episode 99 and we didn't want to wait two weeks to talk about it, so here's a one off extra section where we discuss it and try to process. It's awful, of course, and we hope you're all doing OK. Here's the charity we mentioned at the end of the c…
Need for First Hand Accounts - FT#99 1:37:13
In the ninety-ninth episode we explore the Need for First Hand Accounts, starting with Trump claiming historians can't know whether a Civil War battle took place because they weren't there, and that Maggie Haberman has no way of knowing whether Trump clogged White House toilets with documents . In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Sir Rober…
Silent Majority Fallacy - FT#98 1:38:10
In the ninety-eighth episode we explore the Silent Majority Fallacy, starting with Trump implying people who don't protest are on his side and that people with ten flags on their boats are part of the silent majority. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at David Cameron's invocation of the silent majority in the run up to a vote on Scottish i…
Argument by Vehemence - FT#97 1:25:53
In the ninety-seventh episode we explore the Argument by Vehemence, starting with Trump yelling at Peter Alexander and shouting over Joe Biden during their first debate. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Boris Johnson shouting and pointing at Kier Starmer during Prime Ministers Questions. In the Fallacy in the Wild section, we check out …
Toupée Fallacy - FT#96 1:19:58
In the ninety-sixth episode we explore the Toupée Fallacy, starting with Trump claiming he can always tell if an entrepreneur has read his books, and then claiming to be able to spot a contractor. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Priti Patel's claims about what the British people are tired of hearing about, and then what the British peo…
Appeal to Loyalty - FT#95 1:35:45
In the ninety-fifth episode we explore the Appeal to Loyalty, starting with Trump accusing the press of hating America and the GOP accusing Cheney and Kinzinger of disloyalty for investigation Jan 6. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Debbie from the Midlands calling into talk radio to accuse anyone questioning Dominic Cummings' ridiculou…
Reification Fallacy - FT#94 1:33:09
In the ninety-fourth episode we explore the Reification Fallacy, starting with Trump mischaracterising both Antifa and Science. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at various people claiming Jeremy Corbyn was unelectable, and hear Boris talking about the control we would get back after Brexit. In the Fallacy in the Wild section, we check out …
Incomplete Comparison - FT#93 1:30:56
In the ninety-third episode we explore Incomplete Comparison, starting with Trump pulling out of the Paris Accord and giving his opinion on Boris Johnson, and Dan Bongino getting the health outcomes in Democrat-run cities about as wrong as it's possible to get anything. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Boris building back better and cla…
Fractal Wrongness - FT#92 1:29:01
In the ninety-second episode we explore Fractal Wrongness, starting with Trump being wrong on many levels about the National Debt and Voter ID, and then Don Jr being about as wrong as you can be about Nicki Minaj's cousin's friend. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Boris's excuses and apologies for partying while everyone else was locked…
Amazing Familiarity - FT#91 1:28:09
In the ninety-first episode we explore Amazing Familiarity, starting with Trump claiming to know what the Founders intended when writing the Constitution, and whether anybody has ever said I love you to a politician. Kevin McCarthy claims he knows why people voted for Biden, and Kayleigh McEnany claims Trump has never lied. In Mark's British Politi…
Home Sweet Home Alone - part 2 1:23:55
Happy New Year! Here's part 2 of our Holiday treat for you, a breakdown of Disney+'s latest shameless cash grab, a film made by people who either didn't watch Home Alone or didn't understand why people liked it. It's part scholarly film theory analysis, part snarky nitpicking, part exasperated diatribe. Yes, each of the two parts is technically abo…
Argument from Silence - FT#90 1:34:41
In the ninetieth episode we explore the Argument from Silence, starting with Trump assuming everyone is flirting with him even if they don't know it themselves, and assuming people who take the fifth are guilty, and Marjorie Taylor Greene harassing school shooting survivor David Hogg. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Simon Case not answ…
Merry Christmas! Here's our Christmas gift to you, a breakdown of Disney+'s latest shameless cash grab, a film made by people who either didn't watch Home Alone or didn't understand why people liked it. It's part scholarly film theory analysis, part snarky nitpicking, part exasperated diatribe. Yes, each of the two parts is technically about as lon…
Survivorship Bias - FT#89 1:28:27
In the eighty-ninth episode we explore Survivorship Bias, starting with Trump talking to literal survivors of coronavirus about using hydroxychloroquine, and telling people not to be afraid of Covid after he survived it, and South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace citing a study on natural immunity that relies heavily on this fallacy. In Mark's Britis…
Conflating Views - FT#88 1:36:21
In the eighty-eighth episode we explore Conflating Views, starting with Trump lumping New Mexicans in with Californians regarding the Wall and claiming Biden had vowed to defund the police; and Candace Owens suggesting Rittenhouse disbelievers were more charitable to OJ. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Priti Patel being unsympathetic t…
Gotcha Argument - FT#87 1:24:27
In the eighty-seventh episode we explore the Gotcha Argument, starting with Trump revealing how unprepared he was to answer foreign policy questions as a candidate, and failing to clarify Jared Kushner's statement on the Strategic National Stockpile. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Matt Hancock refusing to answer a question he didn't l…
Appeal to Fiction - FT#86 1:37:01
In the eighty-sixth episode we explore the Appeal to Fiction Fallacy, starting with Trump confusing a movie with real life around the southern border, and comparing himself to a notorious movie villain, before Don Jr misunderstands Orwell. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Boris Johnson attempting to pepper his speech on how great we all…
Broken Window Fallacy - FT#85 1:17:37
In the eighty-fifth episode we explore the Broken Window Fallacy, starting with Trump claiming tariffs would help the economy, and Texas and Mississippi Attorneys General arguing that banning abortions empowers women and stimulates interstate commerce. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Boris Johnson boasting that the abolition of Free Tr…
Sunk Cost Fallacy - FT#84 1:20:18
In the eighty-fourth episode we explore the Sunk Cost Fallacy, starting with Trump justifying sending 4000 more troops into Afghanistan in 2017 based on the loss of life so far, then being unable to back down from his mistake about Hurricane Dorian hitting Alabama. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Tim Loughton complaining about the ongo…
Double Standard - FT#83 1:20:57
In the eighty-third episode we explore the Double Standard Fallacy, starting with Trump selectively accepting the media 'calling' the election depending on who won, Kayleigh McEnany claiming Biden's phone call to Ghani was impeachable due to a quid pro quo, and Candace Owens invoking absolute medical freedom but definitely not for abortion. In Mark…
Appeal to Nature - FT#82 1:19:11
In the eighty-second episode we explore the Appeal to Nature, starting with Trump complaining about artificial light, Mike Pence asking how natural things like CO2 and coal can be bad, and Rand Paul suggesting the natural immunity gained by those who survive a deadly disease is way better than the artificial vaccine and never getting the disease in…
Appeal to Common Folk - FT#81 1:14:31
In the eighty-first episode we explore the Appeal to Common Folk, starting with Trump claiming he's a blue collar worker, and then claiming he and his followers are actually super elites. Then Don Jr talks about how much he loves trucks, guns and meat. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Nigel Farage, who embodies this fallacy. In the Fall…
Just World Fallacy - FT#80 1:13:29
In the eightieth episode we explore the Just World Fallacy, starting with Trump blaming black victims of police shootings for resisting arrest and the site of a mass shooting for not having armed security. Then Eric Trump blames women who are sexually harassed for allowing themselves to be subjected to it, and Mo Brooks blames sick people for not l…
Appeal to Accomplishment - FT#79 1:20:23
In the seventy-ninth episode we explore the Appeal to Accomplishment, starting with Trump talking about how successful his imaginary friend is, and suggesting non-successful people shouldn't be able to criticize people like him. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Boris Johnson touting the success of the very unsuccessful Track and Trace s…
McNamara Fallacy - FT#78 1:25:44
In the seventy-eighth episode we explore the McNamara Fallacy, starting with Robert McNamara and Donald Rumsfeld, then moving on to Trump focusing on money instead of the environment and Don Jr equating refugees to Skittles. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Boris Johnson focusing on COVID cases to justify lockdowns and switching deaths …
Ignoring Linear Time - FT#77 1:23:53
In the seventy-seventh episode we explore Ignoring Linear Time, starting with Trump saying Biden should have already done all the things he promised to do when he became President (including fixing the mess Trump made). In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Chris Philp defending Priti Patel's stance on immigration reform against claims that …
Fallacy of Worse Evil - FT#76 1:05:09
In the seventy-sixth episode we explore the Fallacy of Worse Evil, starting with Trump saying Covid could have gone worse, and China is worse than Russia, then Louie Gohmert saying the insurrection wasn't the worse possible thing. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Matt Hancock, Dave Caesar and Dominic Cummings claiming Covid could have b…
Behind the Scenes at the BBFC (Bonus Episode) 1:47:00
Happy Birthday Fallacious Trump! This is the third of our birthday presents to you - Jim's Skeptics in the Pub talk about his work at the BBFC. Streamed live on 25th March 2021 For over a hundred years, a small, secretive group of people in Soho have decided what you can see in UK cinemas and, more recently, on video and DVD. Who are they, how do t…
Q Anon Book Club Episode 2 (Bonus Episode) 1:37:08
Happy Birthday Fallacious Trump! This is the second of our birthday presents to you - the second episode of our Q Anon Book Club! In our second Q Anon Book Club episode we look at some of the best proofs Q followers (or 'anons') can come up with, which - as far as they are concerned - prove Q is real to a statistical certainty. Of course, the Q com…
Happy Birthday Fallacious Trump - this is your first of three birthday presents! In the very first episode of our new Q Anon: An Invitation to the Great Awakening book club, we discuss the criminals who run the world and who are either the most famous people you can think of or people behind the scenes who you've never heard of, and the 'good guys'…
Tokenism - FT#75 1:23:52
In the seventy-fifth episode we explore Tokenism, starting by explaining why Trump appearing in a photo with Rosa Parks doesn't mean he's not racist, and looking at other times he claimed he wasn't racist. In Mark's British Politics Corner we look at Sajid Javid not being an ally of the Windrush community, and Matt Hancock lying about Boris Johnson…