IndexAd HominemFalse DilemmaAppeal to AuthorityAppeal to FearBarack Obama's inaugural address in 2009 was a historic and monumental moment in American history. As the first African American president, Obama's speech was not only significant for its cultural and social implications, but also for the rhetorical strategies and logical appeals he used to convey his message. However, upon closer examination, it becomes apparent that Obama's speech was not without flaws. In this essay we will analyze Obama's inaugural speech and identify the logical errors present in his speech. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Ad Hominem One of the logical fallacies in Obama's inaugural address is ad hominem. Ad hominem occurs when someone attacks the person making an argument, rather than the argument itself. In his speech, Obama said, "For those who seek to advance their goals by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we tell you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will we will defeat." Although Obama's intent was to convey strength and resilience, the use of ad hominem words in this statement is evident. By directly addressing the terrorists and making a statement about their inability to defeat the United States, Obama is attacking the character of the terrorists rather than focusing on the topic at hand. False Dilemma Another logical fallacy present in Obama's inaugural speech is the false dilemma. False dilemma occurs when someone presents only two options, when in reality there are more. In his speech, Obama said, "We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we hesitate to defend it." This statement presents a false dilemma by suggesting that the only options are to apologize for the American way of life or to defend it without wavering. In reality, there are numerous other options and courses of action that could be taken, and Obama's oversimplification of the situation presents a false dilemma. Appeal to Authority Furthermore, Obama's inaugural address contains an appeal to authority, which is another logical fallacy. Appeal to authority occurs when someone uses an authority figure as evidence in an argument, rather than providing valid arguments or evidence. In his speech, Obama said, "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and non-believers." By including the nation's religious diversity in his speech, Obama appeals to the authority of religion as a means of validating the unity and diversity of the American people. However, the appeal to authority in this statement is a logical fallacy, as religious diversity alone does not intrinsically validate the unity and diversity of a nation. Appeal to Fear Finally, Obama's inaugural address contains an appeal to fear, which is another logical fallacy. Fear appeal occurs when someone uses fear or scare tactics to persuade others to accept a conclusion. In his speech, Obama said, "Now, there are some who question the scope of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans." This statement appeals to fear by suggesting that there are individuals who doubt the ability of the American system to handle ambitious plans and that these doubters pose a threat to progress and change. Using fear as a means of persuasion, Obama makes the logical mistake of appealing to fear in his speech. Please note: this is just an example..