Logical Fallacies

Appeal to Popularity

The new UltraSkinny diet will make you feel great. No longer be troubled by your weight. Enjoy the admiring stares of the opposite sex. Revel in your new freedom from fat.

Appeal to Fear

You must believe that God exists. After all, if you don't accept the existence of God, you'll face the horrors of hell.

Appeal to Flattery

Might I say that this is the best class I've ever taken. By the way, about those two points I need to get an A.

Appeal to Novelty

Our company has to be on the cutting edge. That means new ideas and new techniques have to be used. The GK method is new, so it will do better than the old method.

Appeal to Pity

I'm positive that my work will meet your requirements. I really need the job since my grandmother is very sick.

Appeal to Ridicule

Support the ERA? Sure, when the women start paying for the drinks!

Appeal to Spite

You can't be serious about nominating John for president. Remember what he pulled last year?

Appeal to Tradition

I believe in God. People have believed in God for generations, so God must exist.

Bandwagon

Threat of rejection from one's peers replaces evidence in an argument.

Begging the Question

Taking for granted something that needs proving.

Biased Sample

Drawing a conclusion about a population based on a sample that is biased or prejudiced.

Circular Reasoning

Trying to prove one idea with another idea that is too similar to the first.

Confusing Cause & Effect

A and B regularly occur together. Therefore A is the cause of B.

Motivational Appeal

An attempt to reach an audience by recognizing their needs and values and how these contribute to their decision making.

Non Sequitur

'It does not follow;' an inference or conclusion that does not follow established evidence or premises.

Poisoning the Well

Unfavorable information about person A is presented (true or false). Therefore, any claims made by person A will be false.

Post Hoc

'After this, therefore because of this;' assuming that an incident that precedes another is the cause of the second.

Propaganda

Writing or images that seek to persuade through emotional appeal rather than logical proof.

Red Herring

Diverting attention from the issue by introducing a new point.

Reductio ad Absurdum

'To reduce to the absurd.' It reduces an argument to an either/or choice.

Slippery Slope

Predicting without justification that one step in a process will lead unavoidably to a second, generally undesirable step.

Ad Hominem

'Against the man;' attacking the arguer rather than the argument or issue.

Ad Populum

'To the crowd;' the misconception that because a great number of people do something, it is therefore correct.

Straw Man

Disputing a view similar to, but not the same as, that of the arguer's opponent.

Two Wrongs Make a Right

Bill has borrowed Jane's pen, but found he didn't return it. He tells himself that it is okay to keep it, since she would have done the same.

Appeal to Authority

Person A is (or claims to be) an authority on subject S. Person A makes claim C about subject S. Therefore, C is true.

Appeal to Belief

Most people believe that X is true, therefore X is true.

Appeal to Emotion

When the arguer manipulates emotions in order to get people to accept a claim as being true.

Hasty Generalization

drawing a general and premature conclusion on the basis of only one or two cases. "All dogs should be muzzled because a golden retriever disturbed the peace in the park

Middle Ground

Position A and B are too extreme. C rests in between A and B. Therefore C is the correct one