Logical Fallacies: The Four Families

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering logical fallacies organized by the four core families: Faulty Reasoning, False Authority & Credibility, Emotional Manipulation, and Misdirection & Distortion.

Hasty Generalization

A faulty reasoning fallacy where a broad claim rests on too few or unrepresentative examples.

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

A faulty reasoning fallacy that assumes A caused B simply because B happened after A.

Slippery Slope

A faulty reasoning fallacy that predicts an extreme chain of consequences without adequately supporting the links.

False Dichotomy

A faulty reasoning fallacy that offers only two choices when other reasonable options exist.

Petitio Principii

A faulty reasoning fallacy that assumes the conclusion in the reasons offered to prove it, relying on circular proof.

Non Sequitur

A faulty reasoning fallacy where the conclusion is not adequately supported by the stated reasons.

Ad Hominem

A credibility fallacy that dismisses an argument by attacking its speaker rather than addressing the reasoning.

Genetic Fallacy

A credibility fallacy that accepts or rejects an idea solely because of its origin rather than its merits.

Ad Verecundiam

A credibility fallacy that treats an unqualified or inappropriate authority as decisive proof.

Ad Populum

A credibility fallacy that treats widespread agreement as proof that a claim is correct.

Ad Antiquitatem

A credibility fallacy that treats a practice's age as sufficient reason to keep it.

Ipse Dixit

A credibility fallacy that expects a claim to be accepted just because it is asserted, without supporting evidence.

Ad Passiones

An umbrella fallacy category where feelings replace relevant, sufficient reasons.

Ad Metum/Ad Terrorem

An emotional manipulation fallacy that uses frightening outcomes as inadequate support for agreement.

Ad Odium

An emotional manipulation fallacy that uses hostility toward a person or group as a reason to agree.

Ad Invidiam

An emotional manipulation fallacy that exploits resentment of others' advantages as proof.

Ad Blanditas

An emotional manipulation fallacy that uses praise of the audience to secure agreement.

Appeal to Pride

An emotional manipulation fallacy that pressures agreement through intelligence, honor, superiority, or group identity.

Ad Ridiculum

An emotional manipulation fallacy that mocks a position instead of demonstrating its weakness.

Ad Fastidium

An emotional manipulation fallacy that treats a feeling of revulsion as proof that a claim is wrong.

Ad Misericordiam

An emotional manipulation fallacy that uses sympathy as a substitute for relevant evidence.

Red Herring

A misdirection fallacy that introduces an irrelevant issue that distracts from the original question.

Straw Man

A distortion fallacy that distorts someone else's position to make it easier to attack.

Ignoratio Elenchi

A misdirection fallacy that supports a different conclusion from the one at issue.

Whataboutism/Tu Quoque

A misdirection fallacy that deflects with another wrong; tu quoque specifically accuses the critic of hypocrisy.

Motte & Bailey

A misdirection fallacy that retreats to a safer claim, then treats defending it as defending the original, stronger claim.