Logical Fallacies Definitions

Ad Hominem

a fallacy that uses personal attacks rather than logic. It occurs when someone rejects or criticizes another point of view based on the characteristics or that person.

Straw Man Argument

An argument that attacks a different subject rather than the topic being discussed - a more extreme version of the counter argument

Appeal to Ignorance (argument from ignorance)

argues that a proposition is true because it has not been proven false

False Dilemma

presents limited options - typically by focusing on two extremes - when in fact more possibilities exist.

Slippery Slope

assumes that a certain course of action will necessarily lead to a chain of future events. It takes a benign premise or starting point and suggests it will lead to unlikely or ridiculous outcomes with no supporting evidence.

Circular Argument

When an argument repeats what they already assumed without arriving at a new conclusion

Hasty Generalization

Making a claim based on a few examples rather than substantial proof

Red Herring

An argument that uses confusion or distraction to shift attention away form a topic and towards a false conclusion.

Appeal to Hypocrisy (tu quoque fallacy)

deflects criticism away from oneself by accusing the other person of the same problem or something comparable

Causal Fallacy

informal fallacies that occur when an argument incorreclty concludes that a cause is related to an effect

Appeal to Authority

misuse of an authority's opinion to support an argument. It's a fallacy when their expertise or authority is overstated, illegitimate, or irrelevant.

Equivocation

when a word, phrase, or sentence is used deliberately to confuse, deceive, or mislead - saying one thing but meaning another

Appeal to Pity

Relies on provoking your emotions to win an argument rather than factual evidence

Bandwagon

assumes something is true because others agree with it