Logos Fallacies

Hasty Generalization

not enough evidence or information to make that generalization

my babysitter is always late, teenagers are so unreliable (not true for all teenagers)

Circular reasoning

the reason restates the claim

 my landlord is unreliable because you just can't count on her. 

Red Herring

•  changes the subject abruptly by introducing an irrelevant claim or fact

Example: We shouldn’t concern ourselves with increasing affordable housing when the water main repairs are our top priority

Straw Man

• when you misrepresent another's argument to make it so that your reader is most likely to take your side.

Example: Those who support a ban on social media before the age of 16 think children should be totally sheltered from society

Stacking Deck

• shows only one side of the story

Example: He drives to work, buys coffee in disposable cups and has yet to install solar panels on his house. Clearly, he has no concern for the environment

Non Sequitur

• No logical connection between claim and reason 

Example:It's pointless to vote in this election because life is already too busy.

Slippery Slope

Exaggeration of the consequences of the action

Example: I am going to fail this midterm, and then I will fail this class, and I will never graduate University. 

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

• just because something comes after doesn't mean it was the result of. 

• Example: Canada's birthrate is declining because of the creation of professional sports leagues for women

• correlation does not equal causation

Either/or

• oversimplified a complex issue 

Example: We either have to surrender to the American government's demands or risk a military invasion

Faulty Analogy

compares two things that are in fact more different than alike

Example: We deny children access to cigarettes and alcohol; we should also deny them access to the Internet (doesn't have the same consequences)