logical fallacies

circular argument

starts and finishes with more or less the same claim

ex | Eighteen-year-olds have the right to vote because it's legal. It's legal for them to vote because they have the right to vote

begging the question

assuming the truth of what you are arguing for

ex | It is wrong to kill people and therefore the death penalty is normal

rash generalization

based on inadequate evidence

ex | Amulk's company is an outstanding success, so anyone setting up their own business should trust their own judgement and not be interested by the advice of others.

sweeping generalization

does not allow for exceptions to the generalization

ex | Three people fell through the ice last winter when they were walking across the lake. No one should ever think of walking on frozen lakes.

false dichotomy (restriction of options)

restricts someone's options to either thinking or acting when a third option is obviously available

ex | When you go into business, you can either adopt ethical practices or you can make a profit.

slippery slope

makes the assumption that the chain of events is inevitable or unstoppable

ex | If we allow the children to choose the movie this time, they are going to be able to choose the school they go to.

ad hominem

when a speaker challenges the holder of an opinion rather than the argument behind the opinion itself

ex | This is a nonsensical claim, fro a minister who only last year voted for an increase in the pay of everyone in the government, including herself.

appeal to emotion or pity

persuading the audience using their own emotions

ex | Most of the audience thought that Sheena was the best dancer, so she should have won top prize.

Tu Quoque

points out hypocrisy or inconsistency in someone's argument

ex | It's wrong for the opposition to call this bill a "stealth tax" when they themselves introduced all sorts of taxes by the back door.

straw man

distorts an opponent's argument to make it easier challenge

ex | Person A: Bicycle infrastructure should be expanded because cycling is a sustainable mode of transportation

Person B: We should not build bike lanes because cyclists run red lights.

equivocation

an expression used in a purposefully confusing or ambiguous way

ex | The average family has 2.4 children. Since the Bell family is about as average