Love Is a Fallacy – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering logical fallacies, key characters, cultural references, and thematic elements from Max Shulman’s short story “Love Is a Fallacy.”

Dicto Simpliciter

A logical fallacy that applies an unqualified generalization to all cases (e.g., “Exercise is good, therefore everyone should exercise”).

Hasty Generalization

A fallacy in which a conclusion is drawn from too small a sample (e.g., assuming no one can speak French because three people can’t).

Post Hoc (False Cause)

A fallacy that assumes one event causes another simply because it precedes it (e.g., blaming rain on bringing Bill along).

Contradictory Premises

An argument that starts with premises that cannot both be true, making the conclusion impossible (e.g., an irresistible force vs. an immovable object).

Ad Misericordiam

Appealing to pity or sympathy instead of answering the question about qualifications (e.g., citing a starving family to get a job).

False Analogy

A fallacy that compares two situations that are not truly comparable (e.g., students using textbooks during exams because surgeons use X-rays).

Hypothesis Contrary to Fact

Drawing a conclusion from a premise that is contrary to known facts (e.g., “If Madame Curie hadn’t left a plate in a drawer, radium wouldn’t be known”).

Poisoning the Well

Discrediting an opponent before they speak by calling them untrustworthy or a liar.

Fallacy

An error in reasoning that renders an argument invalid or unsound.

Logic

The systematic study of principles of valid inference and correct reasoning—central to the narrator’s lessons for Polly.

Raccoon Coat

A bulky fur coat popular in the 1920s that becomes a status symbol and bargaining chip in the story.

Petey Burch

The narrator’s impressionable, fad-loving roommate who trades his girlfriend for a raccoon coat.

Polly Espy

Petey’s agreeable but initially illogical girlfriend whom the narrator tutors in logic in hopes of courting her.

Narrator (Dobie Gillis)

An 18-year-old law student, self-described as highly rational, who tries to obtain both a raccoon coat for Petey and Polly’s affection for himself.

Stutz Bearcat

A glamorous 1920s sports car; the narrator’s father wore the raccoon coat in one, underscoring the coat’s vintage status.

Kozy Kampus Korner

A campus eatery where Polly displays perfect table manners, enhancing her social appeal for the narrator.

Pygmalion Reference

Allusion to the myth of sculptor Pygmalion; the narrator likens shaping Polly’s mind to creating the perfect woman.

Frankenstein Reference

The narrator’s comparison to Frankenstein when his ‘creation’ (Polly’s logical skill) turns against him.

Big Man on Campus (BMOC)

Collegiate slang for popular, trend-setting male students—those whom Petey envies for wearing raccoon coats.

The Knoll

A romantic meeting spot on campus where the narrator conducts his logic lessons with Polly.