16 fallacies

equivocation

using a word carrying different meanings used in the same context

ex: anything fluid is liquid
her movements were fluid
therefore her movements were liquid

amphiboly

Awkward construction of a sentence allowing a double meaning

Dog for sale, can eat anything and is especially fond of children

accent or prosody

false accent or false emphasis in speech
ex: i resent the letter, no husbands please

composition

collectively taking what should be taken individually

each pebble in the jar is light, therefore the jar is light

division

opposite of composition
ex: the pebble jar is heavy, therefore each pebble is heavy

word construction

cough is kof

rough is rof

tough is tof

so dough must be dof

accident

when an exception to the rule is ignored
ex: stabbing people is a crime, but surgeons stab people, therefore surgeons are criminals

petitio principii

fails to prove anything, the premise of the argument is a restatement of the conclusion

Ex: i dont wanna go to the dance because i dont feel like it

why are you late?
because im not early

argumentum ad hominem (attack against man)

attacks a dude instead of explaining why he is wrong. includes: you do it too!

argumentum ad populum (appeal to people)

asserts a claim is correct just because people generally believe so
ex: i will text and drive because many do so

argumentum ad misericordiam (appeal to pity)

appeal to pity

false cause

saying a former event is the cause of the future event

ex: she died because she took a bath right after eating a heavy meal

argumentum ad verecundiam (appeal to misplaced authority)

claim is endorsed by a prestigious guy who doesn’t really have expertise on the topic

argumentum ad baculum (appeal to force)

physical force

appeal to advantage

person is forced to do something because there is a preferred advantage

argumentum ad ignoratium

appeal to ignorance