logical fallacies

appeal to improper authority

expert opinion outside area of ethos

appeal to biased authority

expert opinion within ethos, but obviously compromised

bandwagon approach

argues that popular = right

appeal to tradition

overlooks changes in circumstances that might warrant them

ad misericordiam (appeal to pity)

doing the right thing might make someone unhappy

ad hominem (argument ot the man)

substiutes statement of someone’s character for merit of ideas

patriotic appeal

frames rational appeal in emotional appeal to love of country

snob appeal

the “best” people think a certain way or buy certain products. like you.

argument from a lack of evidence

if you can’t disprove it, it must be true

non sequitur

the conclusion does not follow from the premises

post hoc (ergo proctor hoc)

it came after x, so it must be caused by x

hasty generalization

too few examples to induce a pattern or conclusion

faulty analogy

comparison either inappropriate or extended too far

argument from the negative

if x is false, y must be true

false dilemma

falsely asserts an either/or situation when other possibilities exist

loaded question

a yes/no question worded to force admission of something not yet proven or agreed upon

slippery slope

false claim of an unstoppable domino effect

begging the question

using a claim or opinion as evidence

circular reasoning

when the conclusion is the same as the claim

red herring

changing the subject to distract

stacking the deck

cherry picking only positive examples and pretending to give the full picture

poisoning the well

cherry picking the negative examples or prejudicing an audience in advance

equivocation

switching definitions of a word

straw man

pretending an opponnent said something else/putting words in someone’s mouth