Philosophy Logical Fallacies

Accident

Applying general rules to exceptions

Hasty Generalization

Applying exceptions to general rules/ generalizing all cases from an exception

Appeal to ignorance

Lack of evidence (ignorance) so insufficient conclusions and arguments are made

Appeal to pity

Trying to use emotion and sympathy, gathering pity to justify your case/argument

Appeal to tradition

Justifying a case or practice because it has traditional aspect

Attack on the motive

Argument that attacks the credibility of an indiv./group

Ad hominem

Argument that attacks the person and not their argument

Bandwagon

Argument is only speculated because it is widely accepted within a population

Circular Argument

Using your argument as your argument/using your argument as your conclusion (you only have one point and that is your statement)

Composition

A feature/part is attributed to the whole

Decompostion

A whole is attributed to the feature/part

Equivocation

When a term that can have different defintions is generalized under one definition only

False Casuality

The proposition that Event A is going to cause Event B on all/several occasions

False Dichotomy

Either or mentality

Faulty Analogy

Comparing two things/events to establish a further feature of one of the things/events

Improper appeal to authority

Person in question is not qualified to make reliable claims on a subject/no credibility to endorse a subject

Loaded term

A term used broadly/narrowly to drive a particular conclusion

Problematical premise

Argument that fails to meet the acceptability criterion (invalid & unsound)

Slippery slope

Attack on an action/policy because of the belief that it will lead to catastrophe

Straw man

Involves the misrepresentation of another persons argument/putting words in people’s mouths

Two wrongs

When an argument is made urging the audience to acondone something that is wrong because another thing that is wrong has been condoned