Commonly Committed Fallacies

These flashcards cover common fallacies that can be encountered in arguments, helping to identify and avoid illogical reasoning.

Fallacy

An illogical step in the formulation of an argument.

Ad hominem

A fallacy that distorts a person's character to undermine their argument.

Appeal to authority

An argument that relies on the opinion of someone famous or powerful, regardless of their expertise.

Appeal to fear

A tactic that incites fear to persuade the audience.

Appeal to pity

A strategy that invokes sympathy to evade responsibility.

Begging the question

A fallacy that relies on an unproven assumption as if it were true.

Disinformation

The act of launching misleading rumors to discredit someone.

False dilemma

A fallacy that presents only two choices when more exist.

False analogy

Using misleading comparisons to justify an argument.

Faulty statistics

Manipulating or misquoting statistics to create a false sense of validity.

Hasty generalization

Making rushed conclusions based on insufficient evidence.

Ignoring the evidence

Disregarding facts that contradict one's beliefs to avoid complexity.

Loaded label or definition

Using words with biased connotations to influence perception.

Non sequitur

Any claim that doesn't logically follow from its premises.

Poisoning the well

Discrediting an opponent in advance to undermine their arguments.

Post hoc, ergo propter hoc

Mistaking a sequential relationship for a causal one.

Red herring

Introducing an irrelevant issue to divert attention from the main topic.

Shifting the burden of proof

Forcing the opponent to prove the claim instead of the original arguer.

Slippery slope

Arguing that a small action will lead to significant and undesirable consequences.

Spin

Using media to present one's views positively while criticizing others.

Straw man

Misrepresenting an argument to make it easier to attack.