After my last column citing some really bizarre flaws in how our brains perceive reality, I thought I might cover some flaws in logic that are applicable in the world of quality. So, basically, even if our brains are working correctly, we can still send our Black Belts off on false trails trying to solve problems, thus offering more proof (as if we need it) for Voltaire’s observation that “common sense is quite rare.”

I ran across this very cool site organizing logical fallacies into a taxonomy. (OK, so the Internet empowers my nerdosity….) Now as you know, our work in quality is not pure logic (i.e., what is consistent) but science (i.e., what works). Ptolomy was logical when he said the Earth does not move because if it did:

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