Fallacy Terms

Either/or

when someone claims there are only two sides in an argument EX: you can either go w/ me to the party or sit at home and be bored.

False Analogy

assumption that two things share similarities because they have one thing in common EX: Apples, strawberries, and raspberries are all red. They are all fruits. Therefore, all fruits are red.

Argument Ad Populum

a claim that something is true simply bc that's what many people believe EX: the governor has high ratings; therefore, he is doing a good job.

Sweeping Generalization

takes a general idea/rule and applies it to a particular situation EX: Majority of people die in hospitals, so stay out of them.

Reductive Fallacy

makes a complex issue look simply by only considering one aspect of it, simplification EX: Poverty is the result of poor personal choices, such as not working hard enough.

Red Herring

diverts attention from real issues by focusing on an issue that only has a surface relevance, distracts EX: Broken vase w/ muddy pawprints nearby, assumes it's the dog but it's the child.

Snob appeal

arguer claims that if you adopt a particular conclusion, you'll be a member of a special, elit group that's better than everyone else EX: famous people w/ brands

Bandwagon

getting people to believe something because everyone else is doing it EX: Everyone else is going to the party, why can't I go?

Argument Ad Hominem

uses beliefs of the opposing arguer; arguments made based on what other people believe to be true

Flattery

a person uses flattery to appeal to their audience's vanity EX: compliments

Hasty Generalization

claim based on insufficient evidence, experience from examples EX: tourist in NYC concludes that most Americans don't own cars

Post Hoc

assumption of because one event preceded another event, they must be causally related EX: I ate blackberries, and I have a stomachache. Blackberries caused the stomachache

Non sequitur

statement that doesn't follow logically from what preceded it. EX: people died of cancer before cigarettes were invented, therefore, smoking doesn't cause cancer

Begging the question

argument assume the truth of conclusion instead of supporting it EX: People like to eat bc we're biologically influenced to eat

Appeal to False Authority

plays on people's feelings of respect towards a famous person to bypass critical thinking EX: My friend is a nurse, and she says that vaccines are dangerous

Appeal to Pity

ignores argument and appeals to pity to distract audience from lack of reasonable claim EX: Professor, please raise my grade. My grampa died.