Fallacy and Bias

Vocabulary flashcards defining key logical fallacies and unconscious biases from the lecture material.

Fallacy

A mistaken belief based on unsound judgment, or an error in reasoning that occurs when invalid arguments or irrelevant points are introduced.

Unqualified Generalization (dicto simpliciter)

Treating a general rule as universally true without acknowledging exceptions; applying an unqualified generalization to every case.

Hasty Generalization

Drawing a broad conclusion from a small or unrepresentative sample; jumping to conclusions without sufficient evidence.

False Cause (post hoc ergo propter hoc)

The fallacy of assuming that because one event follows another, the first event must have caused the second.

Name Calling / Poisoning the Well

Attacking the person's character or identity instead of addressing their argument; also called mudslinging or character assassination.

Personal Attack (ad hominem)

Attacking a person's character or personal background, such as being a bookworm with no social life, instead of addressing their logic or advice.

Appeal to Pity (ad misericordiam)

Persuading by evoking sympathy or guilt instead of presenting logical reasons or evidence; substituting emotion for rational argument.

Bandwagon (ad populum)

Believing a claim or adopting a practice because many others do; a variant of the appeal to popularity that pressures conformity.

Testimonial

Using an endorsement or testimony from someone who lacks relevant expertise as evidence; a type of appeal to authority.

Hypothesis contrary to fact

Speculating about what would have happened if past events were different and presenting it as fact; assuming a counterfactual as reality.

False analogy

Drawing a misleading comparison between two unlike things by overemphasizing superficial similarities and ignoring relevant differences.

False dilemma (False Dichotomy)

Presenting only two options as if they are the only possibilities, forcing an either-or choice while ignoring other alternatives.

Begging the question

Assuming the conclusion within the premise and using it to prove itself, resulting in circular reasoning without independent support.

Slippery Slope

An argument that asserts a relatively small first step will inevitably lead to a chain of related (and usually negative) events without providing evidence for that progression.

Bias

A prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.

Confirmation Bias

Subconsciously looking for evidence to confirm your own biased thinking without considering anything that might debunk it, solidifying a stance even if not based in truth.

Recency Bias

When a recent experience impacts your thought process, such as ranking an employee favorably due to a great presentation last week despite poor performance the rest of the year.

Affinity ("Like Me") Bias

Treating someone better than someone else because you see traits, attributes, or interests in them that remind you of yourself.

Gender Bias

The treatment of individuals differently based on their gender, such as judging women more harshly based on personality rather than ability to do the job.

"Halo" or "Horns" Effect

Refers to something, either positive (halo) or negative (horns), that sticks out in your mind long-term about someone, causing you to treat them more or less favorably.

Idiosyncratic Rater Effect

A bias that comes from judging others' performance based on your own beliefs of what makes "good" or "bad" performance; taints $61\%$ of all performance review data according to Harvard Business Review.

Stereotype Bias

Associating a person's name, age, race/ethnicity, or other personally identifiable information with specific positive or negative traits derived from past experience, upbringing, or media.