Rhetorical and Literary Terms #4

Ad hominem

Latin for “against the man.” When a writer attacks the integrity or character of his or her opponents instead of the merits of the issue.

Ad populum (Bandwagon)

A fallacy based on the assumption that the opinion of the majority is always valid: everyone believes it, so you should too.

Begging the Question

Often called circular reasoning, begging the question occurs when the believability of the evidence depends on the believability of the claim. Assumes the very fact that is supposedly being proven.

False Analogy/Faulty Analogy

When two cases are not sufficiently parallel to lead readers to accept a claim of connection between them.

Either-Or Reasoning

When the writer reduces an argument or issue to two polar opposites and ignores a relative logical fallacy.

Hasty Generalization

A statement that asserts some broad truth based upon knowledge of specific cases.

Logical Fallacies

Errors in reasoning used by speakers or writers, sometimes in order to dupe their audiences; based on insufficient evidence, irrelevant information, or on faulty logic.

Non-sequitur

Latin for “it does not follow.” When one statement isn’t logically connected to another

Oversimplification

When a writer obscures or denies the complexity of the issues in an argument.

Post hoc, ergo propter hoc

Latin for “after this, therefore because of this.” When a writer implies that because one thing follows another, the first caused the second, but sequence is not a cause.

Red Herring

When a writer raises an irrelevant issue to draw attention away from the real issue.

Slippery Slope

A fallacy in which a course of action is objected to on the grounds that once taken it will lead to additional actions until some undesirable consequence results.

Straw man

When a writer argues against a claim that nobody actually holds or is universally considered weak.

Appeal to Authority

Falsely appealing to the credibility or authority of a celebrity or public figure with respect to matters outside his/her area of knowledge.

Appeal to Pity

Falsely appealing to one’s sympathy; shadowed by emotion rather than the logical facts/evidence

Appeal to ignorance

An argument that states that something is true because there is no evidence to prove it is false (or vice versa).