According to a Buddhist Fable, a group of blind men came upon an elephant. One of the men grabbed the

trunk and said, Elephants are like snakes. No, replied the second blind man, putting his arms around the

trunk and said, Elephants are shaped like tree trunks. Nonsense, chimed in the third blind man as he ran

his hands along the elephant’s tail. They are more like ropes.

In this example, each of the blind men believed his statement was true, although each came to a different conclusion regarding the nature of the elephant.

Discussion Question :

1-Describe a time when something you thought was true, and it turned out to be a false (based upon a faulty conclusion). For example, being a southerner, my mother and father always taught me that as a husband, my job was to make my wife happy. I found through life experiences that I am not capable of MAKING anyone happy. I can create an environment where if the person chooses to be happy, he/she can be happy. The fallacy in this example was seeing my parents as experts in human relations.

2-How did you learn it was a fallacy and what changed your mode (the way) of thinking?

3-What strategies do you now use to avoid these types of fallacies?