Logical Fallicies

13

Hasty Generalization

inference drawn from insufficient evidence

Ex: My toyota broke down so all toyotas are poorly made

Faulty Causality

Incorrect assumption that because one event or action follows another, the first caused the second

Ex: I dyed my hair red last week and 2 people dyed their hair red this week. They must have dyed their hair red because of me.

Either/Or, False Dichotomy

Unfair oversimplification of an issue by providing only two options as a possible solution

Ex: If you aren’t first, you’re last

Slippery Slope

Exaggeration of the likely consequences of an action, designed to show that a misstep today could result in a future disaster (MULTI STEP DOWNWARDS PROGRESSION)

Ex: If students bring drinks to class => they will bring food => class will be filled with rats and cockroaches => the class will be condemned.

Bandwagon

Arguments urging you to follow the same path that everyone else is taking

Ex: Everyone goes to college so you have to go to college.

Sentimental Appeal

Playing on reader’s emotion to distract them from facts

EX: Ads designed to make you feel bad if you don’t donate

Scare Tactics

Using fear to sway people by exaggerating possible dangers well beyond their statistical likelihoods

Ex: Without this insurance, you will be broke and homeless.

Appeal to False Authority

Presenting an unqualitifed person or institution as a source of credible information

Ex: English teachers giving math advice

Ad Hominem

Accuse or attack someone instead of addressing points

Ex: Your fat so I won’t listen to you.

Straw Man

Misrepresenting or twisting someone’s argument so it’s easier to attack and knock them down

Ex: “We should invest more in public education”; Response “So you want to throw unlimited money at schools and bankrupt the country”

Appeal to Ignorance

Any time ignorance is used as a major premise in support of an argument
(Can be used in a a manner that claims something is true or false due to lack of evidence)

Ex: You can’t prove God doesn’t exist so god must exist.

Red Herring

Distraction from argument where someone doesn’t like a topic and detours into something else; focusing on confusion and distractions

Ex: A speeding driver saying, “What about all the other criminals that are doing worse?” (distracting from speeding ticket. A cheating student saying, “My parents will kill me!” (avoiding actual mistake).

Circular Argument

An individual’s argument is just repeating what they already assumed beforehand, not arriving at new conclusion

Ex: Ryan makes delicious burgers because he’s an excellent cook.
God exists because the Bible says God exists.