Logical Fallacies (Argument Unit) Honors/Hari

circular reasoning

Our teacher is a good teacher because he is our teacher.

hasty generalization

Even though winter hasn't even started yet, I can just tell it is going to be a great winter.

slippery slope

The legalization of marijuana will lead to the legalization of all street drugs and many people will overdose and die.

red herring

I shouldn't have to pay my speeding ticket. There are so many worse crimes than speeding. Police officers should choose dangerous murderers instead.

begging the question

Believing in Santa is universal because everyone believes in Santa.

ad hominem

A lawyer attacking a defendant's character rather than questioning the defendant based on the case.

Appeal to novelty

a fallacy which assumes that something new is automatically better than something old

false analogy

Babies are like the elderly because they are both bald.

ad populum

The legal driving age should be lowered to 14 because that is what the majority of US teenagers believe.

ad hominem

"How can you give relationship advice when you've never been in a relationship longer than two weeks?"

hasty generalization

Three minutes into the movie, some patrons left because they thought the movie was too boring.

slippery slope

"If we don't conserve fuel now, there won't be any left in 20 years."

begging the question

Paranormal phenomena exist because I have had experiences that can only be described as paranormal.

false analogy

Pencils help you write. A drinking straw looks like a pen. Therefore, drinking straws can help you write.

ad populum

"If you don't buy these shoes now, you won't be cool because all of the cool kids have these."

non-sequitur

William Larson grew up im poverty. Therefore, he will make a fine President of the United States.

ad hominem

attack on the person or the character of the person

ad populum

argument that appeals to the popularity of the claim

Appeal to Nature

Making the argument that because something is 'natural' it is therefore valid, justified, inevitable, good, or ideal.

begging the question

argument that assumes the premise of the claim is true

circular reasoning

restates the argument rather than proving it

false analogy

misleading comparison

hasty generalization

conclusion or claim based on insufficient evidence

non-sequitur

when the conclusion does not follow its premises

post hoc

when assumed that one thing caused another when the two events happen sequentially

red herring

a diversion tactic that leads people away from the real issue

slippery slope

occurs when a person says event will happen without any evidence

straw man

oversimplified or misrepresents another persons argument to make attack

ad hominem

against the man

ad populum

appeals to the people

post hoc

after this, therefore, because of this

Appeal to Authority

A fallacy in which a speaker or writer seeks to persuade not by giving evidence but by appealing to the respect people have for a famous person or institution.

Missing the point

The premises of an argument do support a particular conclusion—but not the conclusion that the arguer actually draws.

Appeal to Pity

This type of fallacy uses the audiences's sympathy, concern, or guilt in order to overwhelm their sense of logic

Appeal to Ignorance

A fallacy that uses an opponent's inability to disprove a conclusion as proof of the conclusion's correctness.

False Dichotomy

considering only two extremes when there are other possibilities

Equivocation

When a writer uses the same term in two different senses in an argument.

Appeal to Authority

We should abolish the death penalty because Guy Handsome opposes it

Ad Populum

Guns are immoral...70% of Americans thinks so

Appeal to Pity

I couldn't finish my homework because I was in the school play

Appeal to Ignorance

People who oppose guns are unAmerican because they don't believe in the 2nd Amendment

False Dichotomy

The Smith building is in bad shape...eithere we tear it down and put up a new building or we risk student safety

Equivocation

Giving money to charity is the right thing to do, so charities have the right to our money