Logical Fallacy Examples

Son: “Why can’t I go see ‘The Day of the Spatulas’ with my friends?”
Dad: “Because January 1st falls on a Wednesday this year”

Red Herring 1

Son: “Why can’t I go see ‘The Day of the Spatulas’ with my friends?”
Dad: “Isn’t there some other kind of movie you could go see instead?”

Red Herring 2

“Good grief! You’re 35 years old and you still believe in Santa Claus? You only believe that because you fell down a well when you were 3 and haven’t recovered”

Genetic Fallacy 1

Bert: “I’ve been reading this book called The Fallacy Detective. It’s about recognizing bad reasoning”
Slyvia: “You’re reading that book? Isn’t that book about logic? Logic is evil. Logic came out of ancient Greece and ancient Greece was pagan. The first person we know about who talked about logic was aristotle and he was pagan”

Genetic Fallacy 2

“I don’t see what right you have to question where I get my money from for my campaigns. Wasn’t it you, four years ago, who became entangled with in a big scandal, where 23 congressmen were caught laundering money through the congressional post office.”

Tu Quoque 1

“It’s ok to walk on Mr. Jones’s property without asking him. Last week, when I was over here, I met a bunch of boys in the orchard eating apples. People walk on Mr. Jones’s land all the time without asking him.”

Tu Quoque 2

Prosecuting Attorney: “In relation to the scene of the crime where were you?”
Witness: “I was two blocks away, mowing my lawn.”
Prosecuting Attorney: “And what did you see?”
Witness: “I heard what sounded like a gunshot, so I looked up and I saw the defendant running away from where the murder was committed. I figured he must have murdered someone, so I tackled him and called the cops.”
Prosecuting Attorney: “See, there you have it, straight from a man who was there at the scene of the crime. He says the man is guilty.”

Faulty appeal to authority 1

You: “I’m having trouble playing my violin here. Do you have any suggestions?”
Mechanic: “Maybe if you blow on the other end instead?”

Faulty appeal to authority 2

Jenny: “I’m worried about the economy. I think we are entering a depression.”
Bert: “I wouldn’t worry. I heard that 89% of Americans believe the economy is improving.”

Appeal to the people 1

“Everyone is buying these new llama wool coats. They mst be warm.”

Appeal to the people 2

Bert: “I’ve been learning about the second world war lately. I found out that America provoked Japan into attacking Pearl Harbor. I don’t think that was the right thing for us to do.
Jenny: “Oh, so you are now taking the side of the Axis? Do you think Germany and Japan were right to do what they did?

Straw Man 1

When a midwestern state’s Board of Education voted to embrace the new standards for scientific textbooks, standards which did not include evolution as a scientific principle (making teaching it optional), the presidents of six public universities wrote a letter to the Board of Education. The letter said: “We are horrified at what you are doing to education in this state. This will set our state back a century. When the science teachers in this state hear about this, they will consider pursuing their career fields in states which are less prone to censoring science.”

Straw Man 2

“Senator Ribbet is a liar. You shouldn’t listen to his opinion on anything.”

Ad Hominem 1

“I know everybody thinks Einstein’s theory of relativity is correct, but I can’t accept it. Einstein didn’t comb his hair.”

Ad hominem 2