Logical Fallacies

A set of vocabulary flashcards defining key logical fallacies and flawed reasoning techniques from the lecture notes.

Logical Fallacies

Flawed reasons.

Appeal to Popularity

A fallacy based on the idea that because lots of people believe something, it makes it true.

Circularity

When your argument is circular, using the conclusion as a reason.

Ad Hominem

When someone attacks or counters the person and not the argument itself.

Appeal to Authority

An argument that relies on the conclusion of an 'expert'.

Slippery Slope

Presenting an argument as a chain of events with an undesirable effect.

Straw Man

When an argument is misrepresented and you refute the misrepresentation.

Correlation not Causation

The concept that just because two things are found together does not mean there's a correlation.

Inconsistency

When an argument makes two or more contradictory claims.

Tu Quoque

Appeal to hypocrisy.

Weak Analogy

Taking two unlike things and trying to make a comparison.

Cherry Picking

Only picking evidence that supports your argument and ignoring contradictory evidence.

Restricting the Options

Limits the number of options when many more exist.