PHIL 1300 - fallacies

test 2

genetic fallacy

arguing that a claim is true or false solely because of its abstract or nonhuman origins

appeal to the person/ad hominem

rejecting the claim by criticizing the person who makes it rather than the claim itself

equivocation

the use of a word in two different senses in an argument

appeal to popularity/bandwagon

arguing that a claim must be true merely because a substantial number of people believe it - “everyone believes this, so you should too“

appeal to tradition

arguing that a claim must be true or good just because it’s part of a tradition

appeal to ignorance

arguing that a lack of evidence proves something

appeal to emotion

the use of emotions as premises in an argument

red herring

the deliberate raising of an irrelevant issue during an argument

straw man

the distorting, weakening, or oversimplifying of someone’s position so that it can be more easily attacked or refuted

begging the question

the attempt to establish the conclusion of an argument by using that conclusion as a premise

false dilemma

asserting that there are only two alternatives to consider when there are actually more than two

slippery slope

arguing, without good reasons, that taking a particular step will inevitably lead to a further, undesirable step (or steps)

faulty analogy

an argument in which the things being compared are not sufficiently similar in relevant ways

appeal to common practice

similar to bandwagon, but with actions: “everybody does it, so it’s okay to do it“

appeal to novelty

“X is a new idea, therefore X is a good idea“

argument from outrage

appeals to anger - make a bunch of statements designed to get us angry about something, then transfer that negative attitude towards the claim under discussion (ragebaiting? then transferring that rage to another claim) 

scare tactics

appeals to fear or anxiety - works the same way as argument from outrage

argument from pity

occurs when a speaker tries to stir up pity or compassion for someone in order to get us to change our minds about the truth of some proposition

argument from envy/jealousy

appeals to negative attitude we have when envious or jealous in order to get us to take a believing or disbelieving attitude towards some proposition concerning the object of our envy

apple polishing/flattery

occurs when complementary things are said about someone in an attempt to win them over to some point of view

wishful thinking

we succumb to this fallacy if we believe something because we want it to be true, because it represents the fulfillment of our wishes or hopes

peer pressure

the attempt to get us to accept a claim because it will win us someone’s approval or acceptance - a form of this is groupthink fallacy

rationalization

offering reasons why you are doing something, or why you believe something, that are not your real reasons - it’s an attempt to make something look rational when it wasn’t

subjectivist fallacy

when you insist something is true, for no reason other than that you are convinced of it

relativist fallacy

when you endorse a standard as valid, but then allow that a belief or action that violates the standard can nevertheless be okay for those who don’t accept the standard