PKizzy Fallacy Test

Ad Hominem

Attacking the person instead of their argument

Tu Quoque

Dismissing criticism because the critic does the same thing

Ad Misericordiam

Appealing to pity or sympathy instead of logic

Ad Verecundiam

Appealing to an unqualified or irrelevant authority

Ad Populum (Bandwagon)

Claiming something is true because it's popular

Appeal to Tradition

Claiming something is right because it's always been done

Appeal to Nature

Claiming something is good because it's natural

Contradictory Premises

Using premises that cannot both be true

Equivocation

Changing the meaning of a word during an argument

Non Sequitur

A conclusion that doesn't logically follow

Slippery Slope

Claiming one action will inevitably cause extreme consequences

Reductio ad Absurdum

Taking an argument's reasoning to an absurd extreme

Bifurcation (False Dilemma)

Presenting only two options when more exist

Straw Man

Misrepresenting an argument to make it easier to attack

False Analogy

Comparing two things that aren't sufficiently similar

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

Assuming that because B follows A, A caused B

Dicto Simpliciter

Applying a general rule without considering exceptions

Hasty Generalization

Making a broad claim from insufficient evidence

Moving the Goalposts

Changing the standards after evidence is presented

No True Scotsman

Redefining a group to exclude counterexamples

Texas Sharpshooter

Cherry-picking data to support a predetermined conclusion

Narration

Telling a story. Ethos (personal story) or Pathos (emotional story).

Description

Using sensory details. Pathos (emotions) or Logos (clarification).

Exemplification

Providing empirical examples/evidence. Logos (inductive reasoning).

Definition

Establishing boundaries or meanings. Logos (deductive reasoning).

Comparison & Contrast

Comparing relative values. Logos (distinctions) or Ethos (superiority).

Process Analysis

Explaining how something works. Logos (education) or Ethos (competence).

Division & Classification

Organizing ideas into categories. Logos (clarity and education).

Cause & Effect

Using past events to predict consequences. Logos (inductive) or Pathos (warnings).

Deductive Reasoning

General principle → specific conclusion. Syllogism, Modus Ponens, Modus Tollens.

Inductive Reasoning

Specific evidence → general conclusion. Toulmin Model, Exemplification, Cause & Effect.

Abductive Reasoning

Choosing the most likely explanation. Occam's Razor, Simplification.

Analogical Reasoning

Reasoning through similarities. Metaphor, Principle, Comparison.

What are the 5 steps of rhetorical analysis?

Observe language choices → Identify rhetorical strategy → Explain rhetorical goal (ethos/pathos/logos) → Explain practical goal (action/beliefs/knowledge/feelings) → Link to context (kairos/exigence/challenge/expectation/genre).