Logical Fallacies AP English Language

Ad Hominem

"to the man," an argument that criticizes an idea by blaming the person rather than the person's idea "you're wrong because you're a jerk"

Argument from Authority

tends to agree with assumptions because someone in a position of power said it or agreed with it "they must know what theyre talking about they have a PhD" always happens with celebrities- makes you listen

Appeal to Ignorance

Based on the assumption that if it has not been proved, it is true "I can't prove there isn't a Lockenss monster, so there must be one"

Begging the question

parts of what one said could be true, a way of avoiding the question, you are begging for an answer

Hasty Generalization

leading you to a conclusion by providing poor evidence, good evidence is used to support somethign that isn't necessarily true "he plays 48 hours of call of duty, that is why is kills people"

Non Sequitur

doesn't follow, statement that does not relate directly to teh statement before it (this is an attack)

false dichotomy

consists of a consideration of only two extremes rather than any other levels "this or that" very rarely are there only two choices

slippery slope

dire consequences from minor causes, "given them an inch and theyll take a mile"

false causality

sometimes unintentional, setting up a cause/effect situation where one cause/effect is not true or encessarily correct, make sure that everything is related

Straw man

wizard of oz reference, nothing inside him, oversimplification of an opponents argument to make it easier to attack

sentimental appeal

most common, appeals to hearts of the readers to tell them somethign wrong, generally nonvalid arguments (dog with three legs with a can) (always works on juries which is bad) most effective, guilt people

red herring

attempts to shift the attention away from an important attention to another topic that has nothing to do with anything, doesnt answer the question "you want open campus, what about haiti?)

scare tactics

these work! used to frighten readers or listeners into agreeing with the speaker "if we do this, then this will happen"

bandwagon appeals

Peer pressure, if everyone else is doing it then it must be right

dogmatism

does not allow for discussion because the speaker claims that they are the best "why are you the best? because we are number one!"

equivocation

lying by omission, still lying, leave somethign important out

faulty analogy

illogical misleading comparison between two things, not good argument, very weak