Logical Fallacies Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering common logical fallacies defined in the lecture notes.

Logical Fallacy

An error in reasoning that renders an argument invalid.

Ad Hominem

An attack on the character of a person rather than his or her opinions or arguments, which translates as 'to the man'.

Begging the Question (Circular Reasoning)

A fallacy that happens when the author's premise and conclusion say the same thing, restating the argument rather than actually proving it.

Either/Or (False Dichotomy; False Dilemma)

A tactic involving stating a complicated issue in black and white terms, reducing it to only two sides or choices.

False Analogy

A fallacy consisting in assuming that because two things are alike in one or more respects, they are necessarily alike in some other respect.

Hasty Generalization

A conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence, rushing to a conclusion before having all the relevant facts.

Slippery Slope

Arguing from the perspective that one change inevitably will lead to another, based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, Z will happen too.